


Dreamland

by spacey_gracie



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1910s, Alternate Universe - Historical, Carnival Sideshows, Class Differences, Coney Island, F/M, First Love, Forbidden Love, Incubator babies, Loss of Virginity, Rey is so damaged, Smut, Snoke is mentally abusive, Soft Ben Solo, Titanic vibes, lots of fluff, slowish burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2020-07-08 16:01:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 58,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19872280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacey_gracie/pseuds/spacey_gracie
Summary: 1911 - Brooklyn, New York.  Ben and his friends sneak away from Snoke's boarding school for a day of fun at Coney Island.  Little does he know he will meet a girl who will change not only the way he looks at the world, but eventually the course of his life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! 
> 
> Though I know historical AU's aren't as popular as many other genres of fic, they're without a doubt my favorite to write, and I'm excited to share this one! It takes place at Dreamland Park at Coney Island near the turn of the century.
> 
> A lot of this is not going to be historically accurate; I have done research for this story, but mostly just to get the vibe of the park right; the timeline of actual events, as well as the dialogue, manner of dress, etc, may not be true to the times. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to [Semperfidani](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Semperfidani) for this beauty of a moodboard!!

_Spring 1911_

Ben Solo awoke with a start.

He’d been having nightmares for most of his life, but recently they’d become borderline unbearable. 

Sometimes in his dreams, he’d be running away from a terrifying faceless enemy who he was sure was out to kill him.Other times he was trapped in a burning building; he could almost feel the spreading flames nipping at his skin.And other times he was swathed in darkness; he was whimpering, crying out for help, but no one came to answer his pleas.He always woke up more exhausted than when he went to sleep, feeling as devastated as he would if he’d been sobbing for hours. 

When he finally came to his senses, he saw the sunlight streaming through the window of his dorm room; the warm spring air heating up the small, luxuriously furnished space. 

Spring in Manhattan tended to be one of two things: cold and rainy, or unbearably warm and sunny.This year was shaping up to be the latter. 

Ben preferred cold, bleak weather to this any day.

He was snapped out of his idle thoughts with a pounding on the door.

“Hey!Get up!Snoke left for the day!”

Ben groaned as he heard the muffled voice of the boy from the room next door.In his seventeen years, Ben had never met anyone more annoying and frustrating than Armitage Hux.Not only was he a troublemaker, he also had some bizarre kind of jealousy towards Ben, especially whenever Ben interacted with Headmaster Snoke.When Ben spoke up in class, Hux would try to one-up him by retorting with something smarter or wittier.He always made everything a competition.

For some reason though, in the absence of authority, Ben and Hux got along just fine.They had meals together, they spent some of their free time together, and they even snuck out together to cause trouble when Headmaster Snoke would leave the school for one of his meetings.  Ben suspected they got along so well because both he and Hux seemed to loathe everyone else equally.

Snoke had taken a liking to Ben from the moment he’d stepped foot on school grounds three years before.A shy, awkward boy, Snoke had constantly told him that though he sensed a great deal of weakness and vulnerability in Ben, and he would make it his mission to rid him of these qualities and replace them with strength, resolve, and power. 

Ben hadn’t known exactly what that meant, but as time went on, it became evident that Snoke was grooming the boy to succeed him in his business ventures.Snoke even looked past the fact that Ben’s father wasn’t born into high society; a fact that Ben was incredibly ashamed of.

In addition to running the boarding school for boys, Snoke also ran several businesses.Rumors were constantly abound that Snoke was involved in shady dealings, and that he used his money and power to illegally influence political outcomes to his advantage.However, nothing could ever be proven, and he remained a respected member of New York high society.His boarding school for boys was one of the most exclusive in the state.

Snoke also went off on frequent business trips, leaving the boys with very little effective supervision.

Ben got up, stretched, and lumbered over to the door.He opened it a crack, and glared at Hux. 

“What do you want?!”

“It’s 11:30 in the fucking morning!” Hux cried when he saw Ben.“How on earth are you still in bed?”

It’s our day off; can you come back at a more reasonable hour?” Ben growled. 

“The day’s already halfway over! What were you doing in there all night if you’re sleeping this late?We need to get going!”

“Give me another hour”, Ben hissed, slamming the door in Hux’s face.

——

Ben ended up regretting giving Hux the extra time to gallivant around while he lay in bed staring angrily at the ceiling.During that one hour, Hux managed to round up another boy to include in their adventure.

Ben groaned when he found out.Mitaka was a very anxious boy and a notoriously bad liar, and Ben knew that he would probably end up feeling so guilty for sneaking out that he would end up squealing to Snoke and giving them away.

Hux insisted this wouldn’t be the case.

After having a bath, Ben looked in the mirror.His features were awkward; his body massive and overly broad.Most of his suits had to be custom made.Sometimes he wished he was more plain looking; that he could blend in better with everyone else.

After slicking back his shaggy hair and dressing in a three piece lounge suit, Ben grabbed his hat and snuck down the grand staircase to meet Hux and Mitaka.As expected, Old Mr. Canady, the assistant headmaster, was passed out asleep in a lounge chair in the sitting room.Everyone knew he was a closet alcoholic, and this time Ben spotted a tiny whiskey bottle nestled discreetly at his side.

The school was quite small; it was was set up in a large mansion in lower Manhattan, and only housed fifteen students at the time.The interior walls were painted a drab dark green, and several old paintings hung on the walls all throughout the building.At night, when dim candles and flickery electric lights were the only sources of light to illuminate the hallways, creepy shadows danced across the walls which further fueled Ben’s nightmares.Even now, during the day, there was an unsettling air about the house.

\----

A few minutes later, Ben found himself on a streetcar with his friends headed towards Brooklyn.Coming from such privilege, none of the three boys were very familiar with public transportation, however Ben vaguely recalled a few times as a young child, taking a similar car with his father. He recalled looking around, wide-eyed, at all the people crammed into the small trolley. 

His father had grown up an orphan in Brooklyn and often enjoyed reminiscing to Ben about his youth; he’d been a troublemaker as a kid, a petty thief as a teenager, and a full blown outlaw as a young adult.His mother, of course, had tried to stop him every time he’d regale Ben with stories that sounded like they came out of an adventure novel, but every time she wasn’t around, Han would happily share his childhood with his very intrigued young son.

As he’d gotten older, however, Ben found himself less than enchanted by his father’s fantastical stories.Perhaps his entitled upbringing had finally begun to take hold over his childhood innocence, but as he grew into a teenager, he found himself turning his nose up whenever his father alluded to the fact that he’d come from little means.Ben had come to realize that it was, quite frankly, embarrassing.

The streetcar was uncomfortably crowded, just as Ben remembered.All three of the boys tried in vain to avoid all physical contact with the other riders; their privilege had seemingly made them allergic to human contact.Being in close proximity to so many people was a bit unnerving to Ben; though most of the people looked respectable enough, the sun beating down on the car caused it to be incredibly hot, stuffy, and worst of all, smelly.He was almost in awe of how the other passengers managed to hold neutral faces despite the awful stench.He looked around and saw a few women with fans, their faces glistening with sweat as they waved the finely decorated paper over their faces and necks.The men looked uncomfortable as well, most wearing dark woolen suits.Of course, Hux obnoxiously scowled and held his nose in a dramatic show of distaste.

“I’m shocked that people actually _live_ like this”, he said in a voice that was just a hair too loud.“I’m _so_ glad I can afford private transportation with my own chauffeur”.Ben rolled his eyes as Mitaka laughed nervously.Fortunately, everyone within earshot of Hux’s small tirade did an excellent job of pretending they didn’t hear it.

After what seemed like hours but was probably only about twenty minutes, the car finally stopped.Without regard to anyone else, Hux leapt up the second he could, selfishly making sure he was the first one off the car. 

“That was revolting”, he’d said as the boys began their walk. 

Ben could tell they were getting close to their destination when he could smell the ocean.It was now mid-afternoon, and he watched as a few seagulls swooped through the air beneath the strong sun.Finally, they reached the famous boardwalk that he’d only ever heard about.

There was a distinct change in atmosphere the moment they stepped onto the wooden platform.

The street was full of businessmen as well as women going about their daily routines; everyone was stoic, serious, and bland. However, Coney Island greeted them with an immediate wash of color, music, and the smell of fried food. The boys stood on the boardwalk and looked around for a moment, scoping out where they wanted to go first. 

They quickly decided they were hungry, so they set off in search of something to eat.There were food stands lining the boardwalk which seemed to be quite popular, but Hux refused to stop at one, not wanting to eat what he considered to be shit food for poor people.Ben was fine with this, as most of the stands seemed to be selling hot dogs, and even he as a sheltered upper class teenager had heard the rumors that the famous Coney Island hot dogs were made of dog or horse meat.

They finally found a large restaurant which seemed mostly acceptable.Though it was not a luxurious Manhattan dining experience, it was certainly better than anything else in the area. Plus, as they quickly discovered, the waiter could easily be bribed to serve them alcohol.

A few hours, three steaks, and several gin and tonics later, the now drunk and rowdy boys stumbled out of the restaurant, likely much to the relief of the staff and other patrons.Ben wasn’t exactly the rowdy type, it was mostly Hux, but he was definitely feeling happy.

They realized they’d spent most of their afternoon drinking. 

Ben stumbled down the boardwalk in somewhat of a haze, not used to the feel of expensive booze coursing through his veins.He trailed behind Hux and Mitaka, taking in the sights and smells around him.The next thing he knew, they were paying the entrance fee to Dreamland Park.

As the alcohol haze slowly began to clear, Ben looked around at the wild architecture.Some of it was gaudy, some of it monstrous, and all of it larger than life.It was unlike anything he’d ever seen before.There was a river with what looked like Venetian gondolas floating through it, as well as several rides; a Shoot the Chute, a Helter Skelter, and an Alpine Village train ride.An ominous looking, open mouthed building labeled Hell Gate sat near the rides, and various food stands lined the walkways as well. A massive tower stood as the centerpiece of the crowded park. The sound of laughter echoed constantly through the air, and every so often unattended young children ran by.

They paid to go on the Helter Skelter, which turned out to be a giant, twirling slide.The line was long and full of wild children.Once his turn finally came, Ben felt a bit awkward maneuvering his large, broad body on the small ride, and after all that waiting, he was shocked at how quickly it was over.He did admit it was thrilling for a few split seconds, but Hux turned his nose up at it as soon as he’d reached the bottom, sucking out all the joy that Ben may have felt for it. 

“Uh, fellows, I think we should be getting back soon”, Mitaka said nervously after they’d been walking for a bit.Ben looked at his watch and noticed it was almost 6pm.It had cooled off considerably and the sun had begun to set.

“He’s right, we should get going.Snoke will be back in a few hours and I don’t want to push our luck”, Ben reasoned.

“But we’ve barely seen any of the park”, Hux complained.

“Well maybe if you hadn’t insisted on sitting in a restaurant drinking for two hours, we would’ve been able to see more”, Ben said, crossing his arms in exasperation.

“Come on, let’s just see one more attraction, and then we can go.Deal?”

Ben sighed.He knew it wasn’t worth the effort to argue. 

“Fine”, he replied with a roll of his eyes.Mitaka clearly didn’t like that answer, but instead of protesting, he just remained silent and looked as though he was going to cry.

They walked a little further, passing a building that was labeled _Baby Incubators_ , as well as another that said _Dwarf Village_.Finally, they came across a row of tiny shacks that advertised all sorts of human oddities and sideshows. 

“Step right up!Only five cents will grant you access to see the bearded, tattooed lady!”

Most of the buildings had signs advertising their own sideshow, as well as a large picture of what looked like mythical creatures.Ben wondered if the wild claims of some of these oddities were true.Men and women stood outside with bullhorns, calling and beckoning patrons to come see what they had in store, each claiming to be better than the rest.The men were dressed in short-sleeved shirts, the women clad in little more than undergarments.Most of the stands had lines of people waiting to get in.

“Come see BB the legless dwarf!”A charismatic man with curly dark hair and a red and white striped shirt called out in a very animated voice.“Found in a castle in the Black Forests of Germany, some say he was cursed by a witch!”

Ben chuckled and rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of it; of course the story was a load of rubbish.However, Hux seemed to gravitate to this particular stand, as it seemed to be the most popular out of all of them.

_Great.Another line to wait in_.

Ben sighed and crossed his arms in boredom, as his eyes fixated idly on the door to the attraction.

Suddenly, a young girl emerged to let more patrons in and collect their money.

Ben’s eyes perked up, all sense of boredom immediately leaving his body. 

She looked young, though she couldn’t have been much younger than him.Like the other sideshow women, she wore a corset top, hers covered in dark blue satin, with wide straps on her shoulders.She was thin, almost waifish; nothing like the fashionably plump society girls he was used to seeing.Unlike the extreme hourglass figures that Ben saw so often in society, this girl showed off very slight curves; a modest chest and a small waist, which gave way to pleasantly thin yet slightly flared hips. She wore a matching blue skirt that ended scandalously at her knees, with black stockings and worn boots.Her style would be considered that of a sexually loose woman in his mother’s high society circles, and though he knew it was the norm in a setting like this, his heart clenched at the thought of such a sweet looking girl having to dress in such a manner in order to do her job.She didn’t seem to mind, though.She seemed to have a childlike innocence that was magnetic.

Her long brown hair was loose like a child’s; half of it was pulled up in an oversized bow, the other half cascading loosely down her back.She had bright hazel eyes, a thin, delicate nose, and cheeks that dimpled when she smiled.She had a near constant smile on her face, and Ben noted how light her demeanor was; she seemed so much more carefree than the stuffy women he was used to.Her face was covered in freckles, something society ladies tried desperately to avoid, as they were deemed unattractive. 

Ben found her freckles beautiful.

As well as the rest of her.

She went against everything he had been conditioned to find attractive in a woman.

The girl was quite interactive with the guests, happily engaging with them as she collected their money and let them into the exhibit a few at a time.When she laughed, it was smooth as honey, and sunshine radiated from her smile. 

It wasn’t often that Ben was so struck by a woman’s looks, so by the time he and his friends made their way to the front of the line, his heart was pounding.

Hux must have noticed Ben’s staring, as he nudged him in the arm and snickered with a knowing look on his face.Imitating Hux’s expression, Mitaka laughed, too.

“Hello”, she greeted the three with a bright smile.“Welcome to Dreamland.What’s your name?”

Hux snorted, and all Ben could do was stare, everything else erased from his mind, including the ability to speak.Hux nudged him, egging him on.

“Uh, Ben”, he finally choked out.The girl didn’t miss a beat at his awkwardness.

“Where are you from, Ben?” 

“M—Manhattan”.

“Well, Ben from Manhattan, are you prepared for the shock of your life?”Her voice was theatrical; it was meant to entertain the crowd.But to Ben, they were the only two people in the world at that moment.

He nodded, swallowing thickly.

“Well, that will be five cents from each of you, and I’ll lead you inside”, she said with a confident smile, her eyes not leaving Ben’s. 

“Hey, Rey can you come help me with something real quick?”

Ben looked over; an older woman had appeared next to the exhibit, calling to the girl.

_Rey.Her name was Rey_.

“Sure, Maz, I’ll be over in a couple minutes”, she replied in a quiet, lilting voice. 

Rey led Ben, Hux and Mitaka through the doorway and behind a thick black curtain.Behind a glass case sat a tiny man with ginger hair, and, as advertised, no legs.Another man with darker skin stood guard next to him.

Ben was quite underwhelmed, but Hux wasted no time causing trouble, tapping the glass and making faces at the dwarf.The dwarf in turn shook his head and rolled his eyes, looking bored with the whole spectacle.

“I wonder if he’s ever fucked a woman before”, Hux said with a snicker.

_Of course Hux’s mind went there_ , Ben thought with a roll of his eyes.He slowly inched back to the entrance of the building, discreetly pulling the curtain back and looking for Rey.She was standing off to the side, holding her hair away from her neck and fanning herself with a Japanese-style paper fan.Ben’s heart leapt in his chest as he stared at the delicate skin of her neck, as well as the top notches of her spine. 

A thought crept into his mind that he wanted to kiss her there.

“Hey”, a deep voice snapped him out of his thoughts.The man guarding the glass case had caught him staring.“The exit is that way”, he said pointedly, gesturing to the back of the building.Ben looked around and realized that his friends had already left. 

Ben felt his face flush and headed out the back door. 

“Come on Romeo, let’s go”, Hux said with an annoyed laugh as Ben emerged from the building.As they made their way back to the walkway, he tried looking to get one last glimpse of Rey, but she was gone.

They walked back through the park as the sun was setting, and Ben noticed that the massive tower in the center of the park was illuminated with what looked like thousands of electric lights.In his dreamy, lovestruck state of mind, he sighed, appreciating the beauty of it that much more.

As they made their way back to the school, one thing became clear in his mind.

He had to see her again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you are aware, Snoke is very mentally abusive towards Ben. It's nothing worse than how Snoke behaves towards him in the actual movie, but I just wanted to put a warning here just the same.

“You’ve been distracted, boy”.

Ben felt that prickly sensation on the back of his neck that he so often did when he was called into Snoke’s office.He sat on the edge of the hard wooden chair opposite Snoke’s desk, his back straight and his hands twisting nervously in his lap.

He knew that he had a good position in this school; and though Snoke had taken an immediate liking to him when he’d arrived, it also meant that Snoke was far more demanding of him than the other students.He knew he had to work extra hard to remain in his good graces. 

Sometimes Ben wished Snoke hadn’t chosen him out of the crowd, and that he'd blended in better.It sometimes felt impossible to live up to such crushing expectations.

“I promise you, Sir, I’ve been studying as hard as I always do”, Ben replied, a feeling of dread beginning to rise in his stomach.

Snoke eyed him questioningly; judgement radiated from his grotesquely scarred face. 

Ben looked down submissively, his heart began to pound as he wondered if Snoke had somehow found out about his Coney Island adventure a few days before. 

If so, he didn’t mention it.

“You know I have the ability to take everything you’ve ever worked for away in a heartbeat, right?”Snoke said in a slimy voice.He stood up and Ben began to tremble.Though he was much bulkier and likely stronger than the old man, Snoke had the inexplicable ability to make Ben feel like he was a mere foot tall.He’d threatened Ben with physical violence a few times before, and though he’d never acted on it, it had always remained in the back of Ben’s mind.

Snoke stood over him menacingly, his foul breath invading Ben’s nostrils.

“When your mother brought you to me, boy, you were nothing.I know who your father is; I have the ability to ruin you.Don’t you forget that”.

“I’ve given everything I have to you, Sir”, Ben replied, finally bringing himself to meet Snoke’s icy blue eyes.Ben tried not to let him see that he was now shaking a little bit.

“Good.Let’s keep it that way”, Snoke replied as he turned around and lumbered back to his desk.Ben let out a silent sigh of relief.“If you want to run my company some day, you must not lose focus”.Snoke clasped his hands together.

“Yes, sir”, Ben breathed.

“You may go, now”.

——

Ben couldn’t stop thinking about Rey. 

Though they’d barely even exchanged words with each other, he couldn’t get her out of his head.Her confidence and magnetism were unlike anything he’d seen from any girl before in his life, and he felt like he’d been immediately drawn to her.

Then his thoughts drifted to her freckled face, and the sun-kissed skin of her arms.Society women stopped at nothing to keep themselves shielded from the sun, using parasols and layers of dainty, uncomfortable-looking clothing to maintain an alabaster hue to their skin.But it was evident that Rey spent her days working and laughing in the sun, feeling no shame whatsoever about it. 

He thought about how her eyes crinkled when she laughed, and how her straight hair fell loosely down her back.He imagined what it would feel like to kiss her delicate lips, while gently placing a hand on her cheek, eventually winding it through her hair.

Ben suddenly realized that his thoughts were causing his body to react in an unfortunate way.

He’d been taught from childhood that touching himself was wrong; that giving into the temptations of the flesh would cause a plethora of negative side effects, among them mental and physical weakness.Of course, he’d been unable to help himself a handful of times, but had felt an extreme amount of shame afterwards that outweighed the few seconds of intense pleasure that he’d felt.Plus, he reasoned with himself, what would Rey think if she knew?

So, he refocused his thoughts and worked on his schoolwork until his body calmed itself down.

——

Snoke went on another business trip a week later.

It was during a school break, so all classes were on hold.Hux had left to visit with his parents for a few days, but Ben remained on campus.He made it a point to visit home as little as possible.

Of course, his first thought when he found out Snoke was going out of town was _Rey_.

He tried to convince himself that it wouldn’t be a good idea to sneak out just go to see this girl he’d barely even spoken to, but in the end, his heart won out over logic and reason.He didn’t tell anyone he was going, so when a knock sounded on his door moments before he was set to leave, he froze.

“Hey, Ben!”

It was Mitaka.

“Yeah?” Ben called back, his voice high pitched and nervous.

“Me and some of the guys are going to play ball out in the yard, would you like to join us?”

“Uhh”, he started, his eyes darting nervously around the room, trying to think up a quick excuse.“I’m… not feeling well”, he shouted through the door.“Maybe another time”.

“Oh, well, okay”, Mitaka replied.“Feel better soon”.

Ben let out a sigh as he pressed his ear to the door, waiting for the sound of shuffling footsteps to fade as the other boys made their way down the stairs.Ben then watched out his window as they exited out the back door and began running around in the yard.

He listened at his door one last time before opening it and poking his head out.The coast was clear.

He awkwardly maneuvered his large body, tiptoeing as quietly as possible down the stairs, and out the front door.He sighed with relief once he’d made it down to the end of the block.

The streetcar was considerably less crowded this time, and the ride was infinitely more pleasant due to the absence of Hux and his whining.Ben took in his surroundings a little bit better this time, watching the horse drawn carriages and the shiny automobiles dancing all over the road.Crowds of people also walked through the street; it was a mix of rich men in dapper suits and ladies in beautiful summer dresses and hats, along with shabbily dressed men and women with kerchiefs on their heads and holes in their stockings.

His body was thrumming with nervous energy as he stepped onto the Coney Island boardwalk; knowing that he was getting closer to Rey.He passed the entrance to Luna Park, with its entrance decorated with crescent moons, as well as Steeplechase park, which greeted visitors with a massive, grinning face.Ben found it almost creepy and grotesque, like something he’d see in his nightmares.

Then he finally reached the white vision that was Dreamland Park.

He paid the entrance fee, walking briskly towards the sideshow exhibits.As he drew closer, he suddenly realized he had no idea what he was going to say once he got there.He passed a man standing outside one of the shacks, his head tipped towards the sky as he slowly slid a giant sword down his throat. 

Ben’s mouth ran dry when he saw her.

She was dressed much like she had been the other day, though this time her corset dress was a deep violet hue.She was grinning at a small crowd of guests, in what looked like a ballerina pose with one arm above her head, dramatically showcasing the colorful sign above her head.Ben felt his heart lurch in his chest.

He timidly approached the small building, watching her as she collected some money from patrons and counted it in her hand.Fortunately, it was far less crowded than when he’d been here before, so he was able to walk right up to her.

“Hi, and welcome to—“, she said before pausing for the briefest of seconds, “Dreamland”.Her eyes narrowed just a bit, and Ben’s heart pounded when he realized she recognized him.

“I’ve seen you before, haven’’t I?” She asked curiously.Her eyes sparkled, and up close Ben could see brilliant hints of green in them.

“Uh, yeah, I was here last week”, he admitted sheepishly, suddenly feeling a bit guilty.

“Manhattan, right?” Rey asked, a grin beginning to creep across her face.

“Manhattan”, Ben replied with a half smile, removing his hat and nervously running a hand through his slicked back hair.

“I’m sorry, I can’t remember your name”, she said with a small chuckle. 

“Ben”.

“Ben, okay.It’s coming back to me now.I couldn’t easily forget a face like yours”.

Ben felt himself flush a bit.He looked down and laughed nervously.

“Where are your friends today, Ben?”

“Uh, not here”, he choked out awkwardly. 

“Well, it’ll be five cents to see the exhibit”, she said, noticing a group of people beginning to gather behind him.

“Oh, uh, of course”, he said quickly, producing money and placing it in her small hand.She held back the curtain and gestured for him to go inside.

Ben sighed, rolling his eyes and beginning to pace around the dark room.He’d missed his chance; she’d think him odd if he came back around to her a third time.He wanted desperately to get to know her better, so he decided needed to go back around and talk to her again, right now.

He suddenly looked up, realizing that both the guard with dark skin and the dwarf were staring suspiciously at him.Realizing he’d been caught, Ben looked between both of them and awkwardly darted out the exit.

Ben jogged around to the front of the building, where he saw Rey standing at her post, which was blessedly free of guests for the moment.Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, Ben walked back up to her.She looked up at him, confusion heavy in her eyes.

“Would you like to… go somewhere with me?” Ben spat out quickly, before he lost his nerve.Rey’s eyes widened and she was silent for a moment.

“Oh, uh, I…”, she started, nervously smoothing back her hair as her eyes darted between his and the ground.“I’m sorry, but I don’t do that”, she finally said, almost apologetically.Ben felt his heart sink into the ground.“Some of the other girls, they, well, they offer that service, but they do charge a pretty penny, just so you're aware.Plus, you’ll probably have to wait until the park closes for them to be available”.

Ben gaped at her for a moment, confused, until he realized what she was saying.A wave of embarrassment washed over him.

She thought he was trying to solicit her.His face turned beet red. 

“No, no no no”, he said quickly, waving his hands.“I promise you, that’s not what I meant.Jesus, I’m so sorry.I don’t think you… do that.I just wanted to… talk to you, I guess.I don’t know.I’m sorry”.

Completely mortified, Ben turned to leave. 

“Wait”, she called back.He turned back around, knowing he was letting an intense vulnerability show.“Look Ben, that's really sweet of you.But I just… this is my job.It’s just a rule I have; I don’t mix work with my personal life”.

Ben sucked in a deep breath and nodded, as the heavy weight of her rejection began to settle on him. 

“I understand”, he said, resigned.Just before he turned to walk away, he swore he saw a hint of vulnerability in her eyes.

——

He couldn’t bring himself to go back home just yet, preferring to wallow in his rejection for a little while.He stood on the boardwalk, watching the sea ebb and flow.The tide was in, and the volatile waves crashed onto the shore every few seconds, emitting an almost deafening, yet somehow soothing sound.

It was just getting to be warm enough where people could swim, and a few brave souls dotted the water, the fabric from their bulky swimsuits flowing around them.

He should have known that Rey would want nothing to do with him; she was a carnival worker, and it was her job to charm others.He was upset for deluding himself into thinking that in some universe, she maybe could have liked him back. 

He watched the ocean idly for nearly an hour before deciding to start the journey home.He looked down at the ground as he walked, too depressed to meet anyone else’s eye.

As he passed by a bench, he saw a pair of worn black boots.Almost like Rey’s.

As he looked up, he realized she was there, sitting on the bench, looking out at the ocean.

She also had tears streaming down her face.

Ben stopped short, quickly contemplating in his head whether or not he should say something to her.While he was warring with his thoughts, her gaze suddenly shot over to him.Her eyes and nose were red, and she sniffled gently.

“Ben?”She asked in a congested voice.“What are you doing here?”

“I promise I wasn’t… following you or anything”, he replied nervously.“I just… was heading back home”.

“No, it’s okay”, she replied with a sad smile.“I know you weren’t following me; I just sat down here”.

He suddenly didn’t know what to say.

“Uh, are you alright?” He finally asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine”, she replied with a small half-smile as she wiped her eyes.“You can sit down if you want”, she said, patting the bench next to her.

“Oh, I uh, thanks”, he said, walking over and sitting an extremely respectable distance away from her.He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.They both sat and looked out at the ocean, the occasional wave of salty mist hitting their faces.Ben finally looked over at her, her expression brave yet full of pain. She looked back at him and smiled awkwardly.

“My boss is so awful sometimes”, she said with a tearful chuckle.“I’ve worked for him since I was ten years old and he never fails to find a way to make me feel like the lowliest, shittiest person on the planet”.Ben looked back at her, unsure of what to say but feeling sympathy pour from his eyes.“You build up a pretty thick skin working here, but I just… he just knows how to really get to me.He constantly threatens to fire us if we don’t bring in enough money for the day, and he’ll withhold our pay.I haven’t eaten at all today, and now it looks like I’m not going to”.

She simultaneously laughed and choked back a sob at the same time.Ben wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and protect her from everything she was feeling. 

He also wanted to kill her boss.

“I’m sorry”, he finally said. 

“It’s okay”, she replied with a smile.“It’s not your fault”.

Ben chuckled, which in turn caused her to laugh, too.

His face grew more serious and he turned to face her.

“Let me buy you dinner”, he said.It came out as more of a plea than a request. 

“No, she said with a shake of her head.“That’s really sweet of you, but I can’t—“

“Please”, he said, his tone almost a whisper.“I insist”.

Rey sighed heavily.

“Okay”.

——

“I promise, they’re not made of dogs or horses”, Rey giggled.“It’s pure beef.Now, I don’t know what part of the cow they actually use to make them, but I promise they’re delicious all the same”.

Ben was skeptical, and he bit back a grin as she held the hot dog in his face. 

“Doesn’t it smell good?” Rey teased before breaking out into peals of laughter.Ben laughed too; her enthusiasm was contagious.

“I guess so”, he replied, still smirking.He took the second hot dog from her and took a large bite.

He narrowed his eyes and pretended to contemplate the taste as he chewed, which he admitted to himself, was actually quite good.

“Well, what do you think?” Rey asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Hmmm… Tastes like dog meat”, Ben said with a serious look before bursting out into laughter.Rey doubled over, holding her stomach because she was laughing so hard. 

“No, no, but in reality, you’re right, it actually is quite tasty”, he added with a chuckle.“You’ve officially turned me into a fan of hot dogs”.

——

Ben bought Rey three hot dogs.He was shocked at how quickly she ate them; it was as if she hadn’t had a meal in years. 

She almost looked disappointed when their time together was over, and she had to return back to the park.

“Thank you Ben”, she said quietly.“For the meal, of course, but also for just listening to me.Sometimes it helps to talk to someone”.

“You’re welcome”, he said with a smile that he had to school back to prevent from looking too eager.“I, uh, can I see you again?” 

His heart was pounding.

“Maybe”, she said teasingly before turning on her heel and walking away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short filler chapter, just because the next one is likely to be very long (and fun!)

Ben walked back to the streetcar feeling lighter than air.He’d actually managed to have some time alone with Rey, and it had somehow exceeded his expectations.She was even more vibrant and wonderful than he’d realized.But, he’d been surprised to discover that underneath her sunny exterior, she’d shown cracks in her armor; he’d been shocked to witness a deep rooted pain seeping out of them. 

It broke his heart.

He wished he could rescue her from her pain; he wanted nothing more than to whisk her away and treat her like a queen.

In the back of his mind, Ben knew logically that any kind of relationship between the two of them would never work.Their lives were too different, and he was well aware that she would never be accepted into his high-society life.

He became more and more disheartened every time he thought about it, and by the time he snuck back into the school, he had a sinking, bittersweet feeling in his heart.

——

Snoke had said he was going to be away for three days.

He’d taken a train up to Boston to meet with a man he only referred to as “The Boss”, and so Ben knew he should make the most of his unsupervised time while he had it.

Ben undressed in the bathroom and washed his hair out; he preferred to sleep with it loose and clean. 

He looked in the mirror; and as always, was disappointed at the reflection staring back at him.So many of his classmates had blond hair and bright blue eyes, and were the type of guys who attracted beautiful women left and right. 

His inky dark hair was almost longer than acceptable, it hung just above his shoulders in loose, wet tendrils, giving way to his awkwardly large ears which stuck out dramatically.They were something he’d always been particularly self conscious of.His shoulders were very broad, a feature that had always made him feel awkwardly large.Ben’s eyes then roved over his pale skin; it was dotted all over with odd dark marks and moles, a far cry from the soft constellation of freckles that was spread across Rey’s face. It was another aspect of his body that had made him feel inferior to his far more attractive classmates.

However, he also had well defined muscles lining his chest and abdomen, the result of a rigorous exercise regimen to help keep his pent up aggression at bay. For that, he was proud.

While lying in bed that night, Ben’s conflicted mind went back and forth on whether or not he should attempt to go see Rey again.

A dark thought then crept into his mind.How would Snoke react if he knew Ben was sweet on a carnival worker? He would surely punish him, or worse, reject him completely, and so Ben’s future as he knew it would be in shambles.

However, his heart wouldn’t stop nagging at him. 

He kept thinking about Rey’s laugh.It was infectious, pure, and beautiful. Ben found himself involuntarily smiling just imagining it.

The urge to draw her close and kiss her had been simultaneously intoxicating and terrifying.As someone who tended to recoil at the prospect of human contact, he was surprised at himself for desiring any sort of physical closeness with her.

He then thought about how he’d comforted her. He wished he was less awkward and more adept at consolation, but she’d been quite appreciative that he’d merely been an ear to listen.And he couldn’t stop stewing over the fact that she sometimes didn’t have enough to eat.

Yes, he had to see her again, he decided.If for nothing else, he had to do it to make sure she was okay.

Perhaps she’d be annoyed if he showed up again so soon; after all, she hadn’t explicitly agreed to spend more time with him.But, he realized, even if he just got to see her for a few moments, it would still all be worth it.

He had the next day completely free, and after that he had no idea when he’d be able to see her again. So, it had to be then.

Ben fell asleep cradling his pillow in his arms, secretly imagining it was her soft body up against his.

——

The day was sunny and warm, and as Ben paid the entrance fee to Dreamland Park, he dabbed the sweat off his forehead with his handkerchief.Anticipation swirled around in his stomach once again as he strode nervously over to the area where Rey worked.It was hardly even noon yet, so the large crowds hadn’t descended upon the park yet.

At one point, he looked up at a spectacle being performed for small throngs of people gathered along the walkway.Ben gaped at the bizarre demonstration, where a fire department of dwarves was at work putting out an imaginary blaze on a building facade.After watching for a few curious minutes, he continued on his way.

He spotted her easily; today she was wearing a deep red corset top with a matching skirt and bow in her hair.There was no one in line in front of her exhibit, so she was standing around, talking to the man with curly hair who had been shouting with the bullhorn a few days earlier.After a moment, the man turned and ducked behind the curtain, leaving Rey alone.

He approached her slowly, again feeling a pang of nerves.He then stopped as his mind began to panic.Surely she was going to think him an utter fool for coming back a third time to see her.He warred with his thoughts for a moment, actually contemplating turning around and leaving, when he realized she was looking at him.

“Ben?”

Her eyes were narrowed in confusion, but she had a half-smirk on her face as well.

“Uh, hi Rey”, he replied, removing his hat and running a hand nervously through his hair.

“I hope the park is giving you a discount for being such a frequent visitor”, she said, cocking her head a bit and placing a confident hand on her hip, the somewhat confused smile not leaving her face.

Ben’s heart fluttered in his chest, and he let out an awkward, breathless chuckle.Rey looked at him almost expectantly, and when Ben couldn’t think of anything to say, she burst out laughing.

“So how are you today?” Rey finally asked with a mischievous smile, clearly working to urge the conversation along.

“I’m… fine”, he choked out.“How are you?”

“Not bad”, she replied.Another awkward silence settled. Finally, Ben found his voice.

“So, I uh, wanted to ask you.What time do you get off work? I thought, maybe I could take you out for a meal again?”

Rey let out a chuckle, and Ben almost detected a roll of her eyes.He wasn’t sure if it was from the question he asked her, or from the response she was about to give him.

“Not till after 6”, she replied.Her tone was sympathetic; maybe she wasn’t annoyed by him after all.

“Oh”, he replied quietly.“Okay”.Another silence ensued. 

“I could wait around”, he finally said with a shrug.He immediately regretted how pathetic it sounded.

“You sure are persistent”, Rey replied with a giggle.“Look, stay here for a second.I’ll be right back”.

With that, she disappeared behind the curtain.

Ben thought about leaving.He’d clearly made a fool out of himself in front of someone who wasn’t exactly receptive to his advances.He decided to wait until she came back, then he’d apologize and leave.

After a few minutes, the curtain was pulled back a bit, and both the curly haired man and the dark-skinned guard poked their heads out, looking suspiciously at Ben.Rey was there too, talking to them in a hushed voice with her back turned.Finally, she emerged.

“Okay, let’s go”, she replied, rushing down the steps towards him.

“Just like that?What about work?” Ben asked, following along as she walked briskly past him. 

“I haven’t had a day off in over four weeks”, Rey replied.“They agreed to cover for me today”.

“Oh… okay”, Ben replied, trying not to allow the bubbling excitement he was feeling come to the surface and scare her off before the day had even started. 

Suddenly, she stopped walking and turned to face him.

“I do have a couple of rules though”.She held a finger up.“For one, we’re staying in the park.No going to places I’m unfamiliar with.And second, we stay in public at _all_ times.I like you, but I don’t know you that well, and I’ve seen too many bad things happen to girls who went off with men they thought they trusted.So we aren’t going anywhere private.If you try any funny business, I want people to be able to hear me if I start screaming and hollering.You got that?”She wagged her finger in his face.

“Uh, yeah, of course”, Ben replied, shocked by her forwardness.

“And third”, she continued, a small smile building on her face, “I want to have fun today.I don’t know when the next time will be that I have a day off, so I want to make the most of it.Is that clear?”

Ben beamed as she grabbed his hand and pulled him along.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this! Between posting the last few chapters of my last fic and the first few of this one in such rapid succession, I burnt myself out a little bit. But, I'm very excited to share this chapter, and I hope you like it!!
> 
> Slight warning, this chapter discusses premature babies. But, it's mostly fluff!
> 
> Thanks to [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake) for being my beta for this chapter. Her current story, Son of a Preacher Man, is one of my favorite ones out there right now... it's a really wonderfully written (and very sexy) historical AU that takes place in the deep south in the 1960's. 
> 
> Also thanks to [LeiaMyLabrador](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeiaMyLabrador) for making me another beautiful moodboard for this story!

“So, Ben, what attractions haven’t you seen in the park yet?”

“Uhh, pretty much everything”, he replied, as they walked together. He was absolutely reeling over the fact that she’d grabbed his hand and pulled him along just a few minutes before. 

“Okay, well let’s get started”, she giggled.

  
  


\----

  
  


Several hours later, Rey and Ben had visited every single ride in the park, some even more than once. Rey knew most of the ride operators, so they were able to ride for free. Ben quickly discovered that while many of the rides were thrilling, they weren’t nearly as thrilling as the fact that most of them placed him in very close proximity to Rey. 

She didn’t seem nervous like him; she appeared to be happy and comfortable, despite the fact that her body was practically pressed up against his in some of the small cars they were placed in.

Ben loved the Shoot the Chute, and his heart leapt into his throat as the little boat sped down a large track, landing in a pool of water and creating a massive splash. Rey let out a delighted squeal when they hit the water, and Ben was glad that he was sitting behind her, so she didn’t see the ridiculously large smile plastered on his face.

They then rode on the Hell Gate ride, which consisted of a car ride through a darkened building set up to look like Hell. Rey grabbed onto Ben in fright when a large figure jumped out at her; and instinctively, Ben curled an arm protectively around her. Rey went wide-eyed at the gesture, and with a blush, Ben quickly removed his arm. He thought he spotted a small, shy smile on her face.

They then watched the dwarf fire squad show, and afterwards Rey introduced Ben to a few of the dwarves that she knew. 

As they moved between attractions, Rey talked Ben’s ear off about life at the park. Ben discovered that she rarely left the confines of Dreamland, and he came to realize that it was like a tiny, self sufficient city in itself. Rey barely even had to walk outside of the park to get home. She also told him all about Finn and Poe, and how they were like older brothers to her. She told them that they’d been extremely hesitant about allowing her to go out with Ben, and while it could get annoying, she appreciated how protective they were over her. Especially living in a place like this.

She also told him about how she’d come to live at Coney Island; her parents had left her here at a young age and gone off in search of work in the city. They’d told her they’d be back eventually, and she seemed to exhibit a large amount of certainty that they’d soon return. For a split second though, he thought he saw something that looked like desperation and hopelessness in her eyes, masked by her cheery confidence. As if she herself didn’t believe what she was telling him.

Ben, in turn, told her about life at the boarding school, and about his travels through Europe with his mother. Rey excitedly asked him questions about the places he’d seen, and though she’d never left New York, she seemed to have an impressive knowledge about different cultures and lifestyles. Ben found himself enraptured by both her wit and her intelligence.

They discovered they were born less than a month apart, and that they’d both be turning eighteen within the next few weeks. It was hard for Ben to wrap his head around the fact that they were the exact same age, yet lived such vastly different lives.

Everywhere they went, Rey seemed to know someone, and she always greeted them with a friendly smile. Ben felt a little out of place, but at the same time he was oddly entranced with this new world she was introducing him to. It was so much less rigid and formal than anything he’d ever experienced before.

At one point, they passed by a girl dressed much like Rey, who greeted her enthusiastically. Her eyes widened a bit as they passed over Ben.

“Paige, this is my friend Ben”, Rey said, as Ben politely held out his hand for her to shake. Paige returned the handshake, a half-smile overtaking her face as she looked back at Rey. 

“Has he got any friends?” Paige asked with a devious hint to her voice, though Ben wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that.

Once they began walking again, Rey turned to him, speaking in a hushed tone. 

“She’s one of those girls I was talking about yesterday. She stays out at night to make extra money on the side... If you know what I mean”.

Ben felt his cheeks color as he realized what she was talking about. 

“I’m very close with her younger sister, but Paige is a little too wild for me”, Rey said with a laugh. “Oh, do you mind if we stop here for a few minutes? I just need to do something real quick”.

Rey led Ben over to the building labeled _Baby_ _Incubators_. It was a curious building; a particularly out of place looking German farmhouse style building that resembled those Ben had seen while traveling through the Alps with his mother. 

“I work here part time”, Rey explained. “Eventually I’d like this to be my primary job, but for now, I just come here when they need me”.

As they entered, Ben immediately felt like he was in a hospital. A sterile smell invaded his nose, and everything in the room was white. A few corrals were set up close to the wall, and Ben’s eyes scanned the room as some patrons made their way through, stopping to look at a row of display cases along the wall. 

Upon closer look, Ben realized there were indeed tiny babies in the display cases. He knew that carnival sideshows tended to use some degree of trickery, and so he wondered if they were just children’s dolls being passed off as miniature infants.

“Are those real babies?” Ben asked. Rey let out a giggle. 

“Of course they are, silly. Living and breathing, just like us”.

“Really? They look too small to be alive.”

“They were all born prematurely. Hospitals tend to deem children this small to be lost causes, and most times will refuse to treat them. To the hospital, it’s just a waste of resources; treating a baby they think has no chance of survival. But, we have a doctor here who came up with this concept that these children just need constant warmth and extra care, and so we keep them in these little incubators. Most of the ones we take in end up surviving. Think of it like a mother chicken sitting on her eggs to keep them warm”. 

Ben stepped up to one of the cases and sure enough, there was a real live baby inside, its tiny chest rapidly rising and falling as it slept. Something in his heart clenched as he realized how tiny and defenseless they were. An odd sense of sadness crept through him.

“Can you help me for a second?” Rey asked, stepping into a small back room past the displays. Ben followed behind her.

“Hey! Where are you going?” A bellowing female voice suddenly asked. Ben stopped and looked back to see a stout middle aged woman walking towards him. “Only staff is allowed back there!”

“He’s with me, Maz”, Rey replied nonchalantly, poking her head out of the room. “Don’t worry”.

Maz eyed him suspiciously as he followed Rey into the room.

She grabbed a white gown that was hanging on a hook, and pulled her arms into the sleeves.

“Would you mind tying this for me?” Rey asked. 

“Sure”, Ben replied, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. Rey held her hair back as Ben found the ties at the back of her neck. His hands began to tremble as he realized how close he was to her; to the bare skin of her upper back. He perhaps lingered just a bit longer than he should have as he tied the gown; getting lost in the constellation of freckles over her tanned skin. He was so tempted to run his fingers over her back and shoulders, maybe even gently pushing the gown off as he trailed down her arms, and over her slightly exposed cleavage. His thoughts had him shaking by the time he finished with the ties.

“Here you go”, he said quietly. She released her hair and it cascaded over Ben’s hand; the softness of it enveloping him like a blanket. She turned around and smiled brightly at him.

Next, Rey headed over to a small icebox, and removed a bottle of milk. Carefully, she heated it up on a small stove, constantly testing it to make sure the temperature was right. Finally, she poured it into a glass baby bottle. Ben watched her curiously.

Rey then headed back out to the row of incubators and stopped at the very last one. She looked inside, a serene smile spreading across her face.

“She’s my favorite”, Rey said, her voice suddenly quiet as she touched her fingers gently to the glass. A particularly tiny baby lay sleeping, a sheen of downy white hair covering her head. Rey’s tone wasn’t like anything he’d heard from her before; it was soft and reverent. After a moment, she opened the small door and gingerly removed the baby, taking great care to keep her swaddled tightly in her blankets. 

“She doesn’t have any parents”, she said quietly as she carried the baby to the back room, picking up the bottle and settling herself into a rocking chair. Ben sat down in the small wooden seat next to her.   
  
“No parents?” Ben echoed.

“Well, of course she  _ had _ parents, but this little one was born three months early, and the doctors told them that she wouldn’t survive past five days. Her parents took off, leaving her all alone at the hospital. I guess for them, it was easier to leave her to die alone than to become attached”.

Ben could see tears gathering in her eyes as she spoke. She cradled the baby to her chest as she fed from the bottle in Rey’s hand.

“We took her in when she was just two days old. I stayed awake, caring for her for three nights straight. We didn’t think she was going to make it, but she did.” Rey looked up and gave Ben a tearful smile, then glanced back down at the infant with a proud look in her eye. “This little one is stronger than she looks. She’s now two months old, and she’s grown to over three times her original weight.

She looked up at Ben, her expression suddenly full of pure heartbreak.

“Her parents didn’t even give her a name”.

Ben didn’t know how to respond, so instead he looked down at the tiny life in Rey’s arms. She continued speaking after a few moments of painful silence.

“I call her Annabelle, because I don’t think anyone should go without a name. Everyone deserves to be cared for,  _ especially _ an innocent little baby who has done nothing wrong. I come here a lot to hold her, because even as kids and adults we crave human touch, so I feel like it might help her to feel that someone’s there, looking out for her”. 

Rey sighed, and her voice grew a bit quieter as she looked down at the baby.

“I really wish I could take her home with me”.

“Yeah?” Ben asked, his tone curious. Rey let out a small chuckle and shook her head, as if snapping out of a dream.

“I do, but I could never. Coney Island is no place for a child to grow up; I know that from experience. But, sometimes I imagine what it would be like if I was able to keep her”. Rey sighed dreamily.

“So, where will she go once she’s bigger?” Ben asked.

“An orphanage, probably. Once she’s at a healthy weight and able to survive on her own, they’ll want to make room for another baby”. Her tone was melancholy. 

“Would you like to hold her?” Rey asked suddenly. Ben looked nervously around, as though maybe she was asking someone else in the room and not him. He had absolutely no idea how to interact with a baby.

“Uh, okay”, he replied reluctantly.

“So the first thing you always need to remember”, she said while lifting the baby out of the cradle of her arms, “Is that she can’t hold her head up on her own yet. So make sure your arm is fully supporting her head and neck at all times”.

She stood up and gently grabbed Ben’s hand, guiding him into the right position before slowly placing the baby in his arms.

Ben was surprised at how light she felt; Annabelle weighed practically nothing. He looked nervously up at Rey, absolutely terrified at the fact that he was holding such a delicate, vulnerable little creature in his arms. 

“She looks so small next to you”, Rey said with a sweet smile. Ben detected something in her voice that made his heart clench in his chest.

Suddenly, Annabelle began to scream. It was a gut-wrenching, guttural screech that Ben felt all the way down to his soul.

His first reaction was to hold his arms out for Rey to take her back, but she gently urged him into a better position, guiding him to cradle her a bit closer to his body.

“Shhhh, it’s okay sweet girl”, Rey cooed, stroking her fingertips over the baby’s soft head. Rey looked up at Ben as the her cries began to quiet down a little.

“Relax yourself a little bit”, she told him in a quiet, soothing voice. “She wants to be comforted, and she can sense it if you’re all tensed up like that. She’ll only feel comfortable if you are”, she added. Ben reeled as Rey placed an encouraging hand on his arm, but relaxed his body nonetheless.

“Try rocking her gently, too”. 

Rey placed both hands around Ben’s elbows, guiding him to move the baby back and forth ever so slightly. Rey looked up into Ben’s eyes and grinned. He couldn’t help but return the smile as he realized the baby had completely calmed.

“He seems to be a natural”, a voice sounded from the doorway. Ben’s eyes shot over to Maz, who must’ve been watching them from afar. He glanced back at Rey, whose arms were crossed, a mischievous smile spread across her face as she looked back at him. 

“You’re right, Maz, he is”, Rey replied proudly, her eyes now locked with Ben’s. He smiled shyly as he felt his ears grow hot. 

The sun was beginning to set by the time Rey and Ben left the building. The night was cool, and a soft ocean breeze had descended over the park. Ben noticed that Rey wrapped her arms around herself, and though he wanted nothing more than to draw her into his arms to keep her warm, he awkwardly maintained his distance in fear that she would recoil from his touch. 

“Would you like to get something to eat?” Ben asked, as he realized he was starving, and she likely was too.

“Yeah”, she replied immediately, looking into his eyes and smiling. 

Ben felt like something had changed between the two of them since she’d brought him to see the babies; something heavier and more emotional now hung in the air.

They approached a large, open building where people were eating at tables, but there was also a large open space where couples were dancing to live music played by an orchestra. 

“This place looks nice”, Ben said, gesturing for Rey to enter the restaurant.

“It’s the grand ballroom”, she replied, turning to look at him.

“How would you like to eat here? Ben asked. Rey laughed.

“Ben, do you really think they’d let me in there dressed like this?” Rey asked, gesturing down to what she was wearing. Ben tried to be subtle as his eyes flicked over her body.

She had a point. 

She was wearing nothing but a red satin-covered corset, her arms and shoulders exposed, as well as a skirt that only went to her knees. They’d never allow her to dine alongside all the wealthy men wearing tuxedos and women with intricate beaded gowns. 

“Let’s, uh, get some street food!” Rey said with a sunny smile, her tone far too chipper to be completely genuine.

“I wish we could go there, and I could buy you a steak”, Ben replied quietly as they walked along the boardwalk, looking longingly into the grand ballroom as the sounds of a Vienna waltz drifted out. 

“It’s okay”, Rey replied with a grin. “We can get street sausages, and I’m sure they’re just as good.

After Ben had bought Rey two sausages, a plate full of grilled clams with butter, an ice cream cone, and a root beer, they found themselves lingering along the railing of the boardwalk, listening to the heavy sounds of the ocean, the faint harmony of the orchestra in the background along with the occasional shriek or giggle from a child. Rey looked up at Ben and smiled, an uncharacteristic hint of bashfulness on her face.

“You don’t have to go back yet, do you?” Rey asked him as she leaned her arms against the railing. 

“No”, he replied, trying to figure out how long he could realistically stay out with her. He’d initially aimed to be back home by sunset, but it was far past that now, but he wasn’t even near ready for the day to be over. The time had passed so quickly. 

“Good, because I’m not done with you yet”, Rey replied with a smirk. Ben felt a pang of excitement in his stomach upon hearing her words, as heat flooded his cheeks. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

Rey led him down a flight of stairs off the boardwalk and onto the beach, which was illuminated by the faint moonlight as well as the glow of the electric lights from the boardwalk. Ben spotted a few swimmers still dotting the ocean, along with several people strolling along the shore. 

Rey grinned widely at him as she scurried under the boardwalk, unlacing her shoes and, to Ben’s shock, shimmying out of her stockings. Ben’s tried to not let his mind stutter as the lower half of Rey’s legs were suddenly displayed in front of his eyes. She giggled and ran to him, treating it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. 

Maybe it was.

“Come on, take your shoes off!” Rey exclaimed. “Let’s go put our feet in the water!”

Ben hesitated at first, as doing something like this seemed so odd for a boy who was raised to be nothing but proper all the time, but eventually he realized he couldn’t help but go along with her. 

He unlaced his shoes, removing both them and his socks, placing them neatly up against a pole underneath the boardwalk. He then carefully rolled his pant legs up a bit, so they wouldn’t touch the ground. The sand underneath his feet was such an odd sensation; it was both coarse and soft at the same time, and he wasn’t so sure he liked the feeling. Before he had a chance to get used to it, Rey grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the water.

As they approached the sea, Rey dropped Ben’s hand and ran right in with a delighted giggle, large splashes of water flying up around her. Ben was far more hesitant; he stood at the edge of the shore and regarded the roiling water as though it was a wild, untamed animal. He wasn’t afraid of it exactly, but he’d never touched the ocean before, despite having lived close to it his entire life. 

“Come on in!” Rey cried with a grin, holding her hand out to him. Ben slowly stepped into the water, gasping a bit at how unexpectedly cold it was. He finally reached Rey, grimacing a little at the fact that the ocean was soaking the bottom of his pants. However, he relaxed when he saw the genuinely happy and carefree look on her face as she grabbed his hand. Holding tightly onto him and leaning back a little, she spun herself around, sending them both spinning in circles. Rey let out a loud giggle, which had the other people on the beach looking at them. Ben looked around self consciously. 

“Ben!” Rey cried, suddenly stepping closer to him and placing her hands on both of his cheeks, forcing him to look at her. “Stop caring what other people think. You’re never going to see any of these people again in your life. Just have fun”. 

He was too captivated by her to do anything but obey. He felt an involuntary smile take over his face, which turned into a chuckle, and eventually a hearty laugh. Rey giggled in delight as she continued to prance around in the water. 

Ben’s pants were soaked up to his knees by the time they stumbled back onto the sand. He felt free and lighthearted, though his heart sank when he realized he needed to leave soon, despite the strongest urge to stay out with her. 

“Rey”, he said suddenly, trying to find his nerve. She turned to look at him.

“I’ve, uh… I mean I just wanted to tell you that I’ve had a really good time today”.

It came out far more awkwardly than he’d intended, but he watched as a huge smile grew on her face as the words tumbled out of his mouth.

“Me too, Ben”, she replied.

Rey led him back under the boardwalk where their shoes were, perking up when she heard the music from the ballroom drifting down to where they stood. 

“Do you know how to dance to this?” Rey asked of the waltz that was playing. 

“Yes”, he replied, thinking back to all of his mother’s fancy parties where he’d been forced to dance waltzes with the stuck-up, stuffy daughters of his mother’s friends. 

“Good. Otherwise I’d have to teach you”, she replied, her tone noticeably softer as she grabbed his hand, aligning herself with him and placing her other hand on his shoulder. 

Reeling over the close proximity, Ben hoped she didn’t notice that his hand was clammy from nerves. He shakily snaked his other hand under her arm, letting it land on her upper back. 

Ben made sure to keep a respectable distance as they danced. Rey had a sweet smile on her face the entire time, though Ben couldn’t tell exactly what her expression meant. It was somewhat difficult performing the waltz steps in the soft sand, and Rey let out a giggle every time either of them faltered because of it. 

After a few minutes of dancing, the smile on Rey’s face slowly faded, replaced with a strong, more serious gaze. Her eyes never left his, and he swore he saw a faint blush rise amongst her freckles. Ben felt his heart begin to pound as he began to detect a thick tension settling among them.

“Ben”, she suddenly said, her voice little more than a whisper. “You can come a little bit closer, you know”.

He tried not to let her see the shaky breath he let out before stepping just a few inches closer to her. 

Clearly it wasn’t enough, because he felt her draw herself in even closer, to the point where her chest was nearly pressing up against his. Ben became hyper aware of everything in that moment; the feel of her soft body brushing against his every few moments, the salty ocean air around them, the sweet smell of her hair, and the dreamy sounds of the music coming from above. 

It was nearly impossible to properly dance the steps with Rey so close to him, so their dance ended up evolving into a gentle swaying. He felt Rey sigh contentedly against him, and he hoped she couldn’t hear his heart beating out of his chest.

Suddenly, she stopped moving and removed her hand from his shoulder. For a split second, he thought she was going to pull completely away from him, but instead, she tenderly placed a hand on his cheek, eventually winding it back into his hair. 

Ever so gently, she pulled him down to her and pressed her lips to his.

Ben’s insides began churning violently, and his pulse was racing, but somehow it was the most wonderful, peaceful feeling he’d ever experienced. Rey kissed him gently at first, eventually winding her other hand around the back of his neck. He was nervous as to where to place his hands, but they eventually landed on the exposed skin of her upper back. 

Her skin, along with her hair, was even softer than he’d imagined.

After a few moments, Rey began moving her lips against his, a movement that he eagerly mirrored. She then opened her mouth a bit, letting her tongue snake out of her mouth and into his. Drawing her upper body even closer, Ben felt her soft chest press fully against him. 

Finally, she drew back, her breath heavy and her eyes sparkling. 

For the first time, Rey was the one who seemed awkward and nervous.

“I--was that okay?” Her voice was meek and a little quiet.

“Yes”, he replied immediately, his tone both breathless and enthusiastic. “It was... perfect”.

Rey bit her lip bashfully and looked down.

“It’s getting late; I should be getting back. Finn and Poe will have your head on a stake if you keep me out much longer”, she said, the mischievous smile returning to her face.

“Honestly, I should’ve been home hours ago, but I just… didn’t want this day to end”, Ben admitted.

“I know what you mean”, Rey replied. 

“Can I walk you home?”

  
  


\----

  
  


Rey told Ben that she lived in a small boarding house just off the boardwalk. She also explained that most of her friends rented rooms nearby, and they all looked out for each other. As they walked back through the park, they passed by the grand tower, which acted as a massive, glowing centerpiece for the ostentatiously designed park. Rey and Ben held hands during the entire walk to her house, and Ben felt a huge sense of disappointment once they’d arrived. It meant their day was finally over.

He turned to face her, looking into her eyes for a few moments before making the decision to lean down and kiss her softly. He saw her sigh happily as he pulled away.

“Rey, I’ll come see you again as soon as possible. I just don’t know when it’ll be”.

Rey looked down sadly and nodded; it was as if she was suddenly trying to force back tears. 

“Don’t let it be too long”, she replied. Her eyes were huge and uncharacteristically vulnerable. 

Ben responded by kissing her again. Afterwards, he pressed his forehead against hers and looked her directly in the eye.

“I promise”.

“Okay. I’ll be waiting”, Rey replied with a seductive smile, squeezing Ben’s hand before turning and walking into the house.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the rides, attractions, etc, discussed in this story actually existed at Dreamland Park during this time... even the baby incubators. It's estimated that the lives of thousands of premature babies were saved by being on display at Coney Island.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter, life seriously got in the way of writing these past few weeks! Thank you for being patient and I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks to [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) for helping with this chapter.

Fortunately Ben’s absence wasn’t noticed by anyone except for Hux, who didn’t make a big deal of it aside from a salacious smile and a congratulatory pat on the back. Clearly he thought Ben had been visiting Rey for a very specific reason. A reason that Ben sometimes did think about, though it was still something that seemed far off in his mind.

Ben was honestly intimidated at the prospect of bedding Rey, and though he knew he wanted to, he was completely inexperienced and had no idea where to even start when it came to something like that. Of course he’d been taught since childhood that the sole reason for this act was procreation, but from the way the other boys at school talked, it seemed that it was more so done just for a man’s enjoyment. Hearing Hux and the others talk didn’t quite sit right with Ben; his friends talked about women as though they were to be used as objects of desire, and little more. But Ben couldn’t imagine treating Rey that way. He felt as though if she were to share herself with him, he’d cherish both her and the experience itself.

He knew he wanted to. He knew from the longing he sometimes felt deep in his belly, and from sensations he experienced sometimes when he dreamt. He wondered if Rey thought about him in the same way.

Ben turned eighteen a week later. He received a nice card from his mother, but besides that, his birthday passed with very little fanfare. He remembered back to when he was a kid, when his mother used to throw elaborate birthday celebrations for him; she’d always invite all the children of Boston’s high society. 

The parties his mother threw him were lavish and beautiful; they should have been any child’s dream. Every year, Leia hired a company to adorn the entire first floor of the house in streamers and decorations, sparing no expense. She paid for food to be brought in; tea cakes and pastries and ice cream, along with an orange-flavored drink made of sugary syrup. The other children brought Ben lavish gifts; every year he found himself with more and more toys than he knew what to do with. Despite his mother going all out for her only son’s birthday, Ben couldn’t help but feel like something about it seemed fake, and insincere. Like perhaps she was throwing these parties more for show than anything. Ben had no idea when he was young that this feeling was a precursor to being an adult in high society. 

He wondered how Rey celebrated her birthday growing up.

——

A few days after his birthday, Snoke pulled Ben into his office.

As usual, Ben found himself feeling intimidated walking into the headmaster’s office. Like the rest of the interior of the school, it was drab and poorly lit, however it was even less inviting than the hallways, since absolutely no paintings or decor of any kind lined the walls. 

“You asked to see me, sir?” Ben asked quietly, standing in the corner of the room. He tried not to let on to Snoke that he was nervous.

“Yes, please have a seat”, Snoke crooned. Ben cringed at the slimy smoothness of his voice. “I understand that you’ve just recently turned eighteen”.

Ben tried not to let his eyes narrow in confusion; Snoke wasn’t one to point out birthdays or holidays, or anything else worthy of a celebration. 

“Yes, sir”, he replied, fearfully meeting Snoke’s eyes.

“Your training at this school is nearly complete”, Snoke continued”, so I think it’s time that you got out into the world and started moving forward in your career. You have a very promising future, Solo”.

“Thank you, sir”, Ben replied, his eyes nervously darting around the room. He twisted his hands around in his lap, wishing for this moment to be over.

“I’ve got an open position for an intern at one of my companies. It’s entry-level, but it’ll give you necessary experience, and a chance to move up and work directly under me one day”.

Ben’s eyes widened and he looked up in surprise. This is not what he’d been expecting. 

“You start this Monday; you’ll be keeping track of expense ledgers. Canady will give you more details on where you’ll be going and what you’ll be doing”.

“Yes, sir”, Ben replied shakily. “Thank you for this opportunity”.

“Mmh”, Snoke grunted with a flick of his hand, signifying to Ben that his presence was no longer needed.

\----

Ben learned that his new job was located in Brooklyn, and he’d have to take the streetcar every day to get to work. He was a bit surprised that Snoke had chosen a location in Brooklyn, since all the more prominent businesses tended to be located in Manhattan, but then he also figured that such a powerful man as Snoke likely wanted his influence spread out all around the city. 

Besides, working in Brooklyn would give him more freedom to see Rey.

It’d been a week since he’d been able to visit her, and he hadn’t stopped thinking about their kiss ever since. 

He thought constantly about how her lips felt as they’d pressed up against his, how he could feel the heat from her body when she brought herself close to him, and how impossibly soft her skin was under his touch. 

He’d awoken in a very uncomfortable state several mornings in a row, even more uncomfortable than he usually did thanks to the constant thoughts of Rey he had swirling around in his head. Instinct told him to take care of the problem with his own hand, but his upbringing placed a regrettable amount of guilt over his head for engaging in such a shameful act, so he refrained. 

His first day of work flew by; he was taught how to balance expense ledgers, which wasn’t difficult but it was exciting for him to gain a new skill. Not all of the expenses made sense to him yet, and he found himself confused as to why there were two sets of ledgers; each with the same amount of cash, but under different allocations. When he questioned it, he was told that it would be explained to him in time.

When he was eating his lunch, Ben noticed two extremely gruff looking men enter through the back door. They looked out of place, dressed like common laborers rather than the wealthy businessmen who worked alongside him. Ben was discreetly watching them out of the corner of his eye, and noticed that when one of the men turned around, that he had a bit of blood on his hands. Ben felt slightly concerned, but opted not to say anything to anyone about it.

He thought of Rey all day, and after work ended, he practically ran out the door and made the short walk over to the now familiar amusement park. 

He felt his heart melt the moment he saw her, standing on the front steps of the tiny sideshow building and talking to Finn. He stood, just watching her for a few minutes, the sight of her making him forget how to breathe again. 

Eventually, her eyes scanned idly over the sparse crowd and landed on him. Ben’s heart leapt into his throat as he saw her eyes widen and her face light up.

“Ben!” Rey cried, rushing down the stairs and over to him. She looked as though she was about to leap into his arms and smother him in affection, but remembered herself at the last minute. She stopped just in front of him, keeping a short distance between them, but still had a warm glowing smile on her face. 

“I was wondering when you’d come back”, she said softly, looking gently up into his eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t visit sooner; this was the first chance I got”, he replied, wondering if she could tell his heart was absolutely racing. 

“It’s okay”, Rey replied with a sparkle in her eyes. “I get off work in ten minutes. Let’s get dinner?”

“Okay, but I’m buying”, Ben replied, smiling.

They started off towards the food stands, neither of them saying a word. Ben tried rifling through conversation topics in his head, but couldn’t come up with a single one. He kept looking shyly over at Rey, and noticed her doing the same thing every few moments. Occasionally, they’d meet each others’ eyes, then quickly look away. It was as if they were too afraid to go back to the level of familiarity they’d had the night they kissed.

Finally, after several awkward minutes, Rey grabbed his hand, almost causing him to stop in his tracks. She squeezed it gently, and looked up at him. 

“Ben, I can tell you’re nervous. Please don’t be”, she said quietly. Ben responded by lacing his fingers with hers, and saw her face color just a little bit before they continued on. 

Conversation flowed somewhat more freely after that. Ben explained to her all about his new job, and she told him excitedly all about the progress little Annabelle was making. Rey was thrilled to learn that he was going to be working nearby, so he’d be able to make short visits to her more often. They talked and laughed their way through eating hot dogs, an air of relaxation finally settling over both of them. 

Unfortunately, time passed quickly, and Ben knew he needed to be heading back home, because he knew Snoke would be waiting to hear about his first day at work. 

But before he left, he needed to ask Rey a question that he’d been trying to formulate in his head for a while.

“I’m sure you already have plans with your friends”, he started, “but I’d really like to see you on your birthday next week”.

He was almost surprised to see her eyes light up.

“I’d really like that”, she responded, a demure tone trying to mask what seemed like an air of excitement in her face. 

“I can probably sneak out for the evening, and we can go wherever you’d like”.

“I’ll think of somewhere good”, Rey replied with a wink. Ben was unsure whether she was trying to sound suggestive or not, but he felt a low shudder in his belly anyways. 

They made plans to meet on her birthday, which fell on the following Friday, after she got out of work. Rey promised she’d take care of the details of the night; all Ben needed to do was show up. 

He didn’t know how he was going to be able to concentrate on anything until then.

Just before they parted ways, Rey softly placed a hand on the back of his head, bringing him down for a light kiss.

It was more of a tease than anything; just a quick, simple brush of lips, but Ben felt it everywhere in his body. 

“See you then”, Rey whispered softly into his mouth before pulling away.

\----

Snoke of course was all over Ben the moment he returned home. He wanted to know all about Ben’s day, what he’d accomplished, what he’d hoped to accomplish in his time there, and how he was going to achieve his goals. It all seemed very demanding, and Ben felt as though he was being interrogated. 

He answered all of Snoke’s questions as best he could, and was pleased that he seemed to be satisfied with his answers. Ben breathed a silent sigh of relief when Snoke dismissed him, but before Ben walked out of the room, he heard Snoke’s chilling voice ask him one more thing.

“What took you so long getting back here?”

Ben calmly replied that he’d stopped to get something to eat before heading back, but he was certain Snoke could detect the nerves rising in his voice. 

Ben had never felt more uneasy as he did at that moment.

\----

Snoke’s suspicions didn’t stop Ben from visiting Rey most days after he got out of work. He felt as though he was being drawn to her, like a magnet. He made it a point to keep his visits quick, but they were meaningful nonetheless. 

Sometimes they’d have a quick dinner together, and other times they’d just stand and talk for a few minutes. No matter what they did, it always ended with a brief kiss. Ben found himself living for those small moments where their lips made contact. 

Finally the Friday of Rey’s birthday rolled around. Ben was to meet her at 8pm sharp, so he made an excuse to the other boys that he wasn’t feeling well, and needed to retire for the night. 

He rushed over to Coney Island, paid his entry fee to the park, and raced over to the small building where he always met her. 

It was around the time that the sideshows all closed, so Ben looked around the empty walkways, watching as the workers closed up shop.

He waited awkwardly outside Rey’s building, unsure if he should call her name, or perhaps peek behind the curtain to see if she was there. In the end, he decided to just wait. He looked around awkwardly with his hands clasped in front of him, certain he looked out of place standing there alone in his suit and hat.

Finally, he saw Paige, the girl they’d run into a few weeks before, poke her head out. She saw Ben and gave a knowing grin.

“Rey, your date is here”, she said, disappearing back behind the curtain. He heard chittering from multiple women before the curtain was pulled back. A few seconds later, Rey emerged.

Ben felt his jaw drop when he saw her. She was dressed nothing like he’d seen before; she was wearing a beautiful light green dress that was accented with sparkly beads that went all the way down to the floor. It hugged her corseted waist, and was cut to accentuate her modest chest. The dress had flowing cap sleeves, and with it, she was wearing white, elbow length gloves. It looked just like something society ladies would wear.

Rey’s hair was pulled up into a twist, and accentuated with a jeweled, metal headband that was formed into what looked like tiny silver leaves. A few curly strands of hair hung down, softening her look. Subtle makeup had been painted onto her face, and around her neck hung a necklace that matched her headband. 

She looked like she belonged in a magazine.

She also looked unsure as hell. Rey held up the skirt of the dress with both hands so she wouldn’t trip over it, walking in what appeared to be matching heeled shoes. She was unsteady as a newborn foal, clearly not used to wearing heels. 

“I never thought shoes like this would be so damn tough to walk in”, Rey giggled breathlessly, her voice heavy with nerves.

“Rey… I-- Uhh”, Ben heard himself say, as he took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair. 

She’d rendered him completely speechless. 

From inside the small cabin, he saw Paige watching them and he heard her softly snort with laughter. He stood silently, trying to figure out how to form words again.

“So… does the dress look okay?” Rey finally asked, an uncharacteristic apprehension clear on her face. She began treading gently down the front steps of the building, holding the skirt with one hand and the railing with another. She nearly tripped, and Ben lunged out to catch her hand to steady her. He met her fearful eyes, reveling in the feeling of her tiny, warm hand in his.

“You look… perfect”, he replied with awe. She looked down and smiled, a blush staining her cheeks.

“Paige borrowed the dress and the jewelry from one of her clients”, she explained with a giggle, her face then growing more serious. “I wanted to dress up for you”.

Ben was surprised at the unbidden urge he had at that moment to push her back into the cabin and kiss her senseless. But instead, he just squeezed her hand with an incredulous smile as they started down the walkway.

“So, where to?” Rey asked, walking a bit more slowly than normal in her heeled shoes. “I really didn’t plan anything more than this”, she said, gesturing down to her dress. “I figured we could decide what to do once you got here. But now that I’m not dressed like a bar wench, our options are a bit more open”.

Ben let out a soft snort, but then schooled his expression back into a neutral one for fear of sounding insensitive. However, Rey in turn looked up at him and giggled loudly. The sound was like music to Ben’s ears.

A soft breeze flowed through the air as they walked past the rows of buildings, each seemingly bereft of conversation. The silence wasn’t quite as nervewracking as it had been in the past, instead it was simply pleasant, and far more comfortable.

“Can we just stop in here for a moment?” Rey asked, as the pair found themselves in front of the baby incubator building.

“Sure”, Ben replied as Rey pulled him along behind her. 

Rey headed down the row of the now familiar incubators, taking a quick peek at each baby inside. She reached the end, opening the door to the last incubator and carefully pulling little Annabelle out.

“I haven’t had a chance to check on her yet today”, she explained, kissing the baby’s tiny head and cradling her in her arms. The baby made soft cooing sounds. 

“Well well well; look at you, child”, a loud voice bellowed through the room. Ben and Rey both whipped around to see Maz standing in the doorway to the back room, holding another one of the babies, a bottle in one of her hands. Rey giggled and her cheeks turned pink; she clearly wasn’t used to this type of attention.

“Ben’s taking me out for my birthday”, she explained with a nervous laugh. “But I couldn’t go without seeing my best girl, first”.

“You look prettier than any society lady I’ve ever seen”, Maz replied proudly. “You’d better behave with this one, young man”, she said, turning her attention to Ben. “Otherwise I’ll come find you and beat your ass with my cane”.

“Uhh, yes ma’am”, Ben replied, awkwardly bowing his head in an attempt to be polite. He was grateful that Rey began to set Annabelle back into her tiny bed, for he found himself incredibly intimidated by the small woman. 

“I’ll be back tomorrow, Maz”, Rey said before grabbing Ben’s hand again and pulling him towards the door.

“Have a nice time, kids”, she called to them.

“So, where to?” Rey asked, looking up at Ben with a hopeful expression as they stepped outside. 

Ben looked around, trying to come up with a place to take Rey that would be both memorable and fun. His eyes idly scanned the buildings, as well as the few remaining visitors who were slowly making their way to the front of the park before closing time.

He heard the faint sound of laughter from children, as well as music drifting from the ballroom.

“I know where we can go”, he said suddenly, taking her hand and leading the way. The high heels prevented her from walking at a normal pace, so Ben had to slow down a bit in order for her to keep up.

Rey’s eyes widened as they reached the large ballroom and dining hall. The structure was built in a Roman architectural style, and was lined with large arches throughout; it vaguely resembled what Ben had seen while traveling with his mother in Italy. One side was completely open; it was situated so guests could sit and watch the ocean while they ate, and a large portion of the room was left free for dancing. A large orchestra sat in one corner, playing mostly waltzes in a very lively fashion.

“I’ve never actually been in here before”, Rey breathed, clearly intimidated by the prospect of being in such an upscale place. “Of all the years I’ve lived and worked at this park”.

“Do you want to? We could go somewhere else”, Ben suggested. “It was just an idea”.

“Yes, let’s try it”, Rey replied with an air of confidence that Ben wasn’t sure was entirely genuine. 

Rey’s eyes darted around the hall as they were seated at a table; Ben could tell that she was trying to blend in and emulate the other guests. She sat with a straight back with her hands demurely folded in her lap, a well-schooled but pleasant smile on her face. She must have been nervous, but she didn’t show it.

Rey gaped at the waiter as he brought over a bottle of imported French champagne and poured it into small crystal flutes. Her expression faltered just a little bit when she brought the bubbly liquid up to her lips and took a small sip.

“You don’t like wine?” Ben asked, a smirk threatening to give way on his face.

“Never actually had it before now”, she replied with a giggle. “We usually only have rum or whiskey at our parties. This tastes… different”. 

Ben could tell she was holding back a grimace.

“It’s definitely an acquired taste”, he said with a chuckle.

——

Ben watched as Rey’s eyes lit up every time the waiter brought more food over. She wasn’t used to having regular meals, let alone a massive five course monstrosity like the one now before her. She kept her movements well schooled though, taking care to consume her dinner as daintily as possible. Her eyes still scanned the room every few minutes as she took in the sights and tried to emulate the other women there. 

Every time she put a bite in her mouth, however, Ben saw her eyes roll back into her head as though she was feeling some sort of ecstasy. He felt a pang of desire curl deep in his belly every time he watched her.

It made him a bit nervous, to the point where he had trouble eating his own dinner.

“Enjoying your food?” Ben asked, just as Rey brought a forkful of filet mignon into her mouth. 

“Mmmmmyeah”, she replied, her mouth completely full. Her eyes widened as she realized talking with her mouth full most likely wasn’t proper, so she brought her napkin demurely up to her face as she chewed and swallowed the bite. 

“Sorry”, she said, her face coloring a bit. “I meant to say that this meal is most delightful”. 

Ben laughed at how endearing she was.

\----

After they’d finished dessert, the waiter cleared all the plates from the table. 

“Would you like to dance?” Ben asked, gesturing to the floor where people were dancing in a very elegant fashion. Rey’s eyes filled with anxiety.

“I--I don’t know. I don’t think I’m good enough”, Rey replied. 

“Of course you are”, Ben said with a smirk. “I’ve seen you. You dance better than most of them out there”. 

Ben had to restrain himself from telling her that she was also more beautiful than all of the other women there; he didn’t want her to feel as though any attention was on her while she was feeling out of her element.

A small smile and a blush stained Rey’s cheeks at his compliment.

“Okay, I guess I’ll try”, she finally said with a demure giggle. Ben stood and extended his hand to her, guiding onto the dance floor.

He himself wasn’t exactly comfortable dancing in front of others; of course he knew all the steps from years of attending his mother’s parties, but having been a tall, lanky, awkward teenager caused him to have a permanent feeling of self consciousness.

Once they found a spot, Ben placed his hand underneath Rey’s arm, letting his palm rest on her upper back, while she placed her hand on his shoulder. Her other hand, which he held, looked tiny in his. She grasped his hand tightly, as though she was holding onto him for dear life.

It was as if the tables were turned completely upside down from the last time they’d shared a dance. 

Rey of course blended right in with the rest of the crowd, but Ben could tell that she was nervous. Though no one else could tell, he saw the slight shakiness in her confident smile, and the subtle look of panic in her eyes. 

She seemed to relax a bit after a few minutes; giggling adorably when Ben twirled her around. 

“How am I doing?” Rey asked, a familiar mischievous smile finally returning to her face. 

“You’re perfect”, Ben replied earnestly. Rey pursed her lips, clearly catching Ben’s deeper meaning. 

\----

They spent a few dances together, when Ben finally suggested they leave. He paid the hefty bill before they were on their way.

“That was fucking terrifying”, Rey admitted after a few minutes of silence. 

“Why?” Ben asked, concerned.

“I felt so out of place there!” She replied. 

“You didn’t look out of place, I promise”.

Rey looked down and gave a small smile. 

“Thanks”.

Ben was busy trying to come up with an acceptable way to not allow the night to be over yet, but he was having a difficult time. The sound of the ocean crashed vaguely around them, and the sunset had given way to a dark sky and the bright, twinkling lights of the park. 

“So”, Rey said after a long few minutes of silence. “How would you like to come to a circus party?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Titanic vibes! 👀
> 
> [Here](https://i.ibb.co/vX2SWV7/EFEF3-DE2-F015-45-BE-AC7-F-C5-EB33-C32066.png) is a picture of the real-life ballroom at Dreamland Park.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben attend a wild circus party, and they find some much needed alone time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update has taken so long... life has been a bit distracting recently! But, I'm back on the writing train so hopefully updates will come more quickly now.
> 
> Thanks to my dear friend [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) who not only helped me with ideas for this chapter, but also constantly encouraged me to make time for writing. Check out her work... she's amazing!

Rey led Ben through the darkness, the faint glow of the Dreamland tower vaguely illuminating their way. Her hand felt warm and soft in his as she pulled him along, the ringlets in her hair bouncing with every step. She snaked them through a maze of huts and small tents before finally reaching an open clearing that was filled with people, a massive bonfire acting as the centerpiece. Ben felt his eyes widen as his gaze settled upon the strangest array of people he’d ever seen. There were people of all ages; unkempt children ran wildly past the bonfire, young adults congregated around each other smoking foul smelling cigarettes, middle aged men sat around passing a large bottle of whiskey between themselves, and a few elderly people sat close to the fire, deep in conversation. A group of young men played instruments, one of which Ben recognized as a fiddle, and the music was lively and enjoyable.

The thing that really caught his eye though, was the array of circus freaks parading around. The scene seemed grotesque at first glance; a rather voluptuous bearded lady caught Ben’s eye, along with a tall man who had a deformed arm. The two of them were conversing with a group of dwarves, and it was clear from their loud, brash voices they they’d all been drinking heavily. A man with a face like a gargoyle and fingernails like vulture talons grinned at a group of children dressed in tatters before taking a flaming torch and smoothly placing it into his mouth, thus extinguishing the flame. Ben turned his head to watch as he and Rey walked by, and he heard loud, awestruck gasps and excited giggles coming from the children. The man then turned and looked at Ben, the shadows cast upon his face from the fire making him appear even more grotesque. A pair of Siamese twin girls stood behind the fire eater; one tipped a bottle of clear liquid to her lips before offering some to her sister. 

Rey led Ben over to a few makeshift benches where he spotted Rey’s coworkers from the sideshow. Poe was sitting next to BB, the limbless dwarf from the sideshow, who was propped up in a small chair. The two men were talking and laughing, and Ben was surprised to see an exuberant smile on the normally stoic dwarf’s face. He also noticed Finn, who was sitting beside a heavily pregnant woman with a sweet face. Lastly he saw Paige, who was dressed provocatively in a very tight-fitting black corset and a knee length skirt without any stockings on underneath. She was smiling and speaking with another similarly dressed woman, and Ben tried not to let his eyes widen when he saw them lean in and share a kiss. Rey glanced back and offered him an encouraging smile as she escorted him over to her friends.

Ben wasn’t sure what to think about this new, vibrant world he was being exposed to, but for some reason he felt like he trusted it more than he did his own rigid environment. 

“Hi everyone!”, Rey called out cheerfully, speaking over the spirited music that was playing nearby. 

“Rey!” Finn shouted, immediately leaping up to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. They exchanged words that Ben couldn’t hear, though they both held warm smiles on their faces as they quickly glanced over at Ben, and back to each other again. Rey then moved over to the pregnant woman, leaning down to hug her before placing a hand on her large belly. Rey turned back to Ben, reaching her hand out in an invitation for him to come closer.

“Everyone, this is Ben”, she announced. “Ben, these are some of my friends. There’s BB, Poe, Finn, Rose, Paige, and Jessika”. 

Ben nodded awkwardly and gave a small wave to the group. They seemed friendly enough, but also slightly wary, likely because not only was Ben an outsider, but he was a particularly well dressed one, and he most certainly looked out of place. A somewhat awkward lull ensued, until Rose finally broke the silence, causing the others to go back to their conversations. 

“Ben, it’s so nice to finally meet you”, she said enthusiastically, holding her hand out for Ben to shake. “I’ve heard so much about you; Rey hasn’t stopped talking about you for weeks!”

Ben didn’t miss the way Rey’s eyes widened subtly in what looked like embarrassment over Rose’s comment, and the two women seemed to share a quick conversation through looks before turning back to Ben. He shook Rose’s hand, and Rey sat herself down on the bench, motioning for Ben to join her.

He couldn’t hear what Rey and Rose were discussing because of the loud music, so instead he continued to allow his eyes to scan the scene in front of him. He could see the musicians playing their instruments; he guessed the music they were playing was Irish. In stark contrast to the dignified orchestra they’d just seen at the dining hall, these musicians were rowdy and boisterous, taking gulps of dark liquid every time they had a break in their song, each with a constant smile on their face. It was a concept that almost seemed foreign to Ben, but he realized they all looked like they were having  _ fun _ . It was a far cry from what he was used to.

Rey spoke with Rose for several minutes, presumably about her evening with Ben, considering the fact that the two girls glanced over at him every few moments. Rey must have sensed that Ben felt a little bit uncomfortable, because she grabbed his hand before going back to conversing with her friend. She laced her small fingers in his and squeezed his hand gently, a gesture that he happily returned. Ben’s gaze then drifted over to her; he noticed that a wisp of dark hair had fallen out of the sparkling metal piece that held her hair in place, the curl creating a softness to her look. It fell against her neck, and Ben let his eyes trail down her smooth looking skin to her shoulder, and then further down to the curve of her breast. He wondered what it would feel like to run his hand along her body.

“Hey there!” A masculine voice snapped Ben out of his salacious thoughts. He whipped his head around to see Finn standing before him, two glasses of the dark liquid that everyone seemed to be drinking in hand. 

“Oh, uh, hello”, Ben replied awkwardly, quickly regaining his composure and schooling his face into a more neutral, polite expression. 

“It’s nice to meet you”, Finn said, handing Ben one of the glasses and extending his hand. “I’m Finn. You must be Ben”. 

“Yes, it’s great to meet you”, he replied, standing up and cordially shaking Finn’s hand as he gave him a casual smile. Finn then handed the other glass in his hand to Rey, who gladly accepted it before turning back to Rose and continuing their conversation. Ben felt Rey squeeze his hand again, and it made him feel more comfortable. 

“Hello, Ben”, he heard another voice say, as a firm hand gripped his shoulder from behind. Ben turned around to see Poe standing there, gently nudging him away from Rey. He noticed her glance over at him, giving him a small smile. She then let go of his hand, turning back to Rose.

Ben realized what was happening the second he stepped away from Rey; as he found that he was surrounded by the two men, each with a confident smile on his face. 

“Hey buddy, I’m Poe”, the shorter man said, finally introducing himself properly. 

“Uhh, Ben Solo”, he replied, shaking the man’s hand and suddenly feeling a bit intimidated. 

“So, Ben”, Poe continued, patting Ben solidly on the shoulder. “We’ve certainly heard a lot about you”.

“Yeah, our little Peanut talks about you quite a bit”, Finn chimed in, echoing somewhat what Rose had said earlier. 

“Peanut?” Ben asked.

“Yes, she seems to speak very highly of you”, Poe replied with a smirk. Ben couldn’t tell if his face was genuine or not. 

“Uhh, thanks?” Ben replied in a slightly questioning tone, still a bit confused as to exactly what their intentions were. They led Ben further away from Rey, closer to the bonfire where he could feel the intense warmth nipping at his face. He glanced quickly back to see that Rey was still engrossed in her conversation with Rose. He longed for her to come over to him, as he suddenly felt quite uneasy. 

Perhaps, he thought, one of them had intentions with her and was going to tell him to back off? Or worse, perhaps they were going to inform him that she was already betrothed and hadn’t told him.

He was snapped out of his decidedly irrational thoughts when Finn spoke.

“Cheers, guys”, he said, lifting up the glass in his hand. Ben did the same, and then almost choked as he took a sip of the liquid. It was incredibly bitter, and tasted like fire going down his throat. It was clearly stronger than any alcohol he’d tasted before, and far more painful to drink. He again looked over at Rey, who was idly taking a sip from her own glass, the expression on her face remaining completely neutral. He wondered how she could drink this so easily, yet could hardly tolerate the sweet champagne she’d had with dinner. He almost chuckled at the absurdity of it. 

“So, Ben”, Poe said, once again placing an intimidating hand on his shoulder. “We just wanted to talk with you about something”.

Ben’s eyes darted back and forth between the two men questioningly as he waited for what they had to say. 

“So that girl over there”, Poe said, pointing to Rey. “She’s a little sister to us. Her parents left her here when she was just a kid, so we took over being her family. We just wanted to let you know that we’re  _ very _ protective over her”.

Ben stared blankly at them as a short silence ensued. Finally, Poe resumed speaking.

“Look, Ben. We know she’s a beautiful girl. As you can expect, she receives a lot of attention from men. She usually doesn’t have any of it; she’s fierce and can fend them off on her own. But, as far as her actually choosing to let a man into her life, well, she doesn’t usually do it. She keeps herself very guarded. In fact, I think you may be the first one who’s ever made his way into her heart. But, as her older brothers, we just need to make sure your intentions with her are good”. Poe and Finn then proceeded to look at him with polite smiles, but Ben could see the menacing subtext in their faces.

He towered over both men, yet still felt incredibly intimidated.

“Uh, well I--”, he started, trying to choose his words carefully. “See, I don’t usually do this kind of thing either. I just… I guess I’m just drawn to her”.

Finn laughed at that.

“She tends to have that effect on people”, he chuckled. Ben sensed a genuine friendliness slip through in Finn’s tone and it made him feel less uneasy.

“I… I just really like her”, he confessed with a shrug, deciding that spilling his true feelings was probably the best course of action. “She’s fun, and vibrant, and she’s really not like any girl I’ve ever known before. I promise you, I have only good intentions with her. I’d just like to spend time with her, and get to know her. I promise I’m not… using her, or anything like that”, he implored, grimacing at the thought of anyone so much as considering taking advantage of Rey. 

“Good man”, Poe said with a smile, again being tactile towards Ben as he slapped him cordially on the upper arm. 

Suddenly, Poe’s face darkened a bit.

“Because you know”, he started, his voice considerably lower. “You can’t tell by looking, but that girl has lived through a lifetime of heartache. Her parents abandoned her here when she was a kid; they sold her off for drinking money”.

“But... she told me they were coming back to get her someday”, Ben replied, looking over at her and feeling his heart break as he gazed at the sunny smile on her face.

“She tells herself that to make herself feel better. All she’s ever really wanted was a family to care about her. So that’s where we came in. Me, Finn, his wife Rose over there, Paige; all of us, really. But as much as we all love her, we know we can’t completely take away that pain for her; it’s really rooted deep. She’s a vulnerable kid, and a lot more sensitive than she comes off. So please just keep that in mind, ok?” 

“So basically, if you do anything to hurt her, you have to deal with us”, Finn said with a confident half smile. 

“I--I understand”, Ben said submissively, nodding his head and giving the men a small smile.

Suddenly, Ben felt a light touch on his back and he nearly jumped in fright.

“What are you guys talking about?” A sweet voice interrupted the conversation. Ben turned around to see Rey, a welcome sight after a somewhat uncomfortable conversation.

“Oh, we just wanted to get to know Ben a little bit better - and for him to get to know us a little better too”, Poe said, a smile on his face as he locked eyes with Ben. 

“Good”, Rey replied with a sweet smile. “You two better not scare him off”. 

With that, she grabbed Ben’s hand and pulled him along. 

“Happy birthday, Rey!” Ben heard a couple girls call out to her as they walked along. She led him to the makeshift stage where the musicians were playing, and where a few people were dancing. These weren’t the prim and proper dances that Ben learned at school; they were wild, unruly, and free.

“Let’s dance”, Rey said, tugging at his hand.

Normally Ben’s somewhat introverted nature would’ve caused him to back away from a situation like this, but Rey captivated him to the point where he could be convinced to go anywhere and do anything; as long as it was with her. 

Rey began to dance and twirl somewhat wildly, her drink still in hand. Ben stood awkwardly alongside her, unsure of how to dance without looking silly. After a moment, she noticed his hesitation and guided him over to the side of the stage, where they were less out in the open. 

“I--I don’t know how to dance to this kind of music”, Ben admitted, worried he was going embarrass her with his sheer awkwardness. A warm smile bloomed on her face. 

“Ben, just let go”, she said with a giggle, placing a grounding hand on his upper arm. “You don’t have to know the steps; I certainly don’t! You just have to let yourself go and be a little more free”. 

Ben stood nervously, unsure of exactly what she meant. Rey looked into his eyes and placed a hand on his cheek. 

“Remember the time we danced in the ocean? Stop caring what people think of you”, she said, stroking his face with her thumb. “Oh, and drink some of the whiskey; it’ll help a lot. Trust me”. She giggled before tipping her glass back and gulping down a hefty amount; more than would ever be acceptable for a society lady. 

Ben began to chuckle, which quickly evolved into a hearty laugh as he also tipped back his glass and forced the contents down his throat. He felt it travel all the way to his stomach, burning like fire the whole way down. Rey looked at him with an encouraging grin as he coughed a bit, but then returned her smile as he felt the alcohol began to take hold. A warm glow began to build in his stomach, which slowly traveled down to his legs, and then radiated throughout the rest of his body. 

“Ready?” Rey asked with a sly smile, clearly aware of the effect the alcohol was having on Ben. He could only grin stupidly as she brought him back out in front of the stage. The alcohol made everything melt together into a haze; the lively fiddle; the sound of the musicians’ feet stomping to keep a rhythm; the people dancing all around him with a warm orange glow cast upon their faces; and most importantly the beautiful girl in front of him; her hair beginning to fall from its fastenings as she danced and twirled beside him. 

Despite the alcohol, Ben still felt slightly self conscious at first, but the feeling soon began to dissipate as he watched how some of the others were dancing. There was no rhyme or reason to their movements; they only seemed focused on having a good time. Ben began moving his feet to the music, and every so often he would twirl Rey around. She began to lead them, and they soon fell into a rhythm that Ben felt comfortable with; the look of pure joy on her face constantly encouraging him. 

Her movements seemed effortless; she let out an audible giggle every few minutes, which caused a massive smile to break out on his face. Ben held onto her fingers and twirled her around several times in a row, until she nearly collapsed into his arms with a laugh, clearly a bit disoriented from both the spinning and the alcohol. 

At one point, Rey kicked off her heeled shoes, her bare feet effortlessly leading the rest of her body in a dance that Ben assumed was some version of a jig. 

“Try it!” Rey cried, taking Ben’s hands in hers and continuing to tap and kick her feet. He felt a bit silly in his attempts, but he mimicked her movements, the buzz from the alcohol making him feel both strangely confident and regrettably a bit clumsy as well. 

After a few minutes of dancing, Ben looked around and realized the other partygoers had formed a circle around them, and were clapping along to the music. Most of them had exuberant smiles on their faces, and after a moment he spotted Finn, Poe, Rose and Paige amongst them. For a split second Ben was terrified of the attention; he felt a strong urge to run away and blend into the crowd. But then, Rey placed a grounding hand on his cheek and looked him in the eye, silently telling him that there was no reason to be afraid. 

They danced for another few moments before Rey grabbed onto both of his hands with outstretched arms, spinning them both around and around. He heard her giggle and then let out a laugh of his own, the momentum from the spinning making him feel like he was going to fly backwards and fall into the onlookers. But Rey kept him balanced, holding onto his hands and not letting go.

The sounds of the music blended together with the whoops and cheers from the crowd, but Ben hardly noticed. He was too captivated by Rey, and the fact that she seemed to be having an incredible time with him. She slowed the spinning down, eventually losing her footing and stumbling into his arms. In a sudden outpouring of intense feelings, Ben swept his hands underneath her arms, lifting her up above his head and whirling her around again, more slowly this time. Her head was angled down towards him, and they gazed into each others’ eyes as their bodies spun around together. The cheers from the crowd began to ring in Ben’s ears as he gently let her down, her body sliding against his the entire time. 

Ben’s heart felt more full than it ever had before, and in another impulsive gesture, he trailed his hands up to cup her cheeks. She seemed to share his intentions, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into a searing kiss. 

The cheers from the crowd turned into wildly enthusiastic shouts and shrieks, the sounds causing them both to smile and laugh into their kiss. 

Their lips remained locked for a long time; far longer than would ever be socially acceptable, even in a setting like this. However, the crowd continued cheering and clapping, and Ben even saw Poe stick two fingers into his mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle. Rey finally broke the kiss in a delighted giggle, grabbing onto Ben’s hands and squeezing them. 

Rey ran back over to her friends, pulling Ben along with her. They all greeted the pair with open arms, the girls fawning over Rey and the intensely romantic moment they’d just watched her share with Ben. He was still a bit tipsy from the alcohol, but he also felt high on the experience he’d just had. Rey had gently encouraged him to venture out of his comfort zone, and though it had been difficult at first, she’d made him feel far more comfortable and at ease. He also reveled in the fact that his efforts were clearly making her happy.

Because he realized that all he wanted to do, after all, was to make her happy.

  
  


\----

An hour later, Rey and Ben bid her friends goodbye, as she’d been heavily hinting that she should be making her way home. It was nearly midnight at this point, and though he wanted more than anything to spend more time with Rey, he knew the time had come to tear themselves away from each other. He’d completely sobered up from the whiskey; it was a very powerful drink but likely because it was a cheap, poorly made version, it seemed to wear off more quickly than anything else he’d had before. But Ben didn’t mind. He actually preferred having a clear head when he was with her. 

Ben heard Finn and Poe ask Rey if he was going to walk her home, a concern that he quickly quelled. They said their goodbyes, and several people bid Rey a happy birthday as they began to leave. She grabbed his hand and they made their way through the park, which was completely empty save for a few drunken partygoers who had strayed from the celebration. 

“I had a really good time tonight, Ben”, Rey said in a quiet, lilting voice as she looked up at him, an uncharacteristic bashfulness in her eyes.

“Me too”, he replied immediately. “I--I always have fun with you”, he blurted out without thinking. Rey giggled. 

“Me too”, she said quietly.

“I just--it went by so fast”, Ben said earnestly. “I’d looked forward to spending so much time with you, but I feel like I blinked and the night was over”.

“That tends to happen when you’re having a lot of fun”, Rey laughed, before becoming a bit more serious. “And I know how you feel. It flew by for me too”.

She looked up at him as she said it, the tone of her voice becoming far more husky and the look on her face more charged. Ben looked over at her and slowed his gait down, his heart beginning to pound as he thought he recognized the lust in her eyes mirroring his own. He saw her take a deep breath before speaking again.

“There’s one more place I want to show you, if you have time”, she said, her voice impossibly low. Ben could only nod in response.

They were almost to the entrance to the park, but Rey turned them around, leading Ben back to the bridge over the fake river where the Venetian gondolas lay parked in the water. The impossibly bright lights of the Dreamland tower still lit up the sky, and Ben walked up to the railing that lined the bridge, resting his arms on it and gazing out at the scene before him. The wooden boats for the Shoot-the-Chute ride lay resting on a track just out of the water in front of them.

“This is nice”, Ben said peacefully. “It’s a lot better when there aren’t any people around”.

“Yes, it is nice”, Rey replied dreamily. “But it’s actually not what I wanted to show you. 

Ben looked up at her to see a mischievous smile on her face. 

“Come on”, she beckoned, grabbing his hand and bolting off in the direction of the tower.

Ben was a bit confused when they reached the base of the tower; he looked up at the glowing building, which was now blindingly bright at such close proximity. Thousands upon thousands of tiny glass lightbulbs covered the building, creating a strange aura that left sparkles in Ben’s vision when he tried to look away. 

Rey led him to the back of the building, where Ben spotted a small door hidden amongst the wooden white facade. He then watched Rey reach into her dress and pull out a small key, inserting it into the lock and opening the door.

“I know the caretaker”, she explained, guiding him into the darkened building. She flipped a switch and a dusty electric lightbulb turned on, revealing a rickety wooden staircase.

Clearly the glamor of the building was only limited to the outside. 

Ben followed Rey up the creaky stairs, to reveal a landing and more stairs. They proceeded to ascend staircase after staircase, until Ben was winded and panting. He liked to think he was in decent physical shape, but he began to feel a burn in his lungs after the fifth or sixth set of stairs.

Rey continued on happily, not showing any signs of physical discomfort. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they reached a small landing with dusty wooden floors. A few old chairs sat in a corner next to a box of tools, and a folded blanket had been placed neatly on the floor.

“Ben, look”, Rey said, his head jerking up as he looked to see a small balcony, which offered a magnificent view of both the park and the surrounding areas. It was then he realized how high up they were; he surmised they were close to the top of the tower.

He made his way over to Rey, who was leaning on the railing of the balcony, the beading on her dress glittering under the bright lights.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Rey asked softly, looking over at him, and then back out at the view. Off to the right, he could see both Luna and Steeplechase parks; the twinkling lights of the now silent rides out in the distance. As he turned to look straight ahead, he saw the garish sights of Dreamland laying before him; the river with its magnificent bridge that they’d just walked over, the dwarf village that Rey had escorted them through on their first day together, out to the oceanside restaurant where they’d had dinner just hours before, and finally to the illuminated boardwalk, under which they’d shared their first kiss after frolicking like children in the ocean. Ben’s thoughts ran through the times they’d spent together in this park; it had only been a matter of weeks and a few sparse meetings, but for some reason it felt like they’d been together much longer. They’d fallen into a routine of sorts, and Ben realized that there was something about Rey that made Ben feel entirely at ease. Though their meetings were full of endless excitement for him, he also realized that she was a safe place; someone who didn’t judge him for what kind of hat he wore, or how shiny his shoes were. She saw Ben for who he was, instead of how much money he had or who his family was. He felt seen when he was with her, and cared for.

“It really is beautiful”, Ben replied, looking back over at her. Rey’s coy smile caused him to suddenly realize just how alone they were in the tower. 

He felt his body tremble with anticipation as she slowly inched closer to him; her dark hair brushing against his shoulder where a loose curl had tumbled out of the golden band in her hair. A silence fell over them, and he watched Rey as she looked up at him a few times with a smile, then back out at the view. Though they’d shared a very passionate kiss just a few hours before, the implication that their solitude held caused Ben to revert back to being shy and bashful around her again. Additionally, the sense of courage that the whiskey had provided earlier had now completely worn off. Ben wanted more than anything to simply put his arm around her, but every time he thought he’d built up the courage to do so, he lost his nerve. He wondered if Rey expected him to make the first move; he desperately wanted to take her into his arms, push her up against the wall, and kiss her without abandon, but he also wasn’t sure if he was misreading her signs. Perhaps she’d truly just brought him up here to gaze at the view for a few minutes before going home for the night.

“So”, she said, finally breaking the silence, her voice little more than a whisper. Ben’s eyes found her face; she was looking back at him with what looked like nervous anticipation. He saw her eyes flick down to his lips, and he held tightly onto the railing as he felt his stomach clench.

“So”, he replied, still too afraid to acknowledge the heavy tension that had settled over the balcony. He looked down at her and could see her chest rising and falling, which caused his heart to race even more.

“Oh, Ben”, she whispered, her voice full of unmistakable lust as she rushed towards him and pulled him into a sudden, steamy kiss.

They both simultaneously inhaled a sharp breath, and Ben felt Rey wrap her arms around his neck. He, in turn, did something he’d been wanting to do all evening; he plunged his hands into her hair, pulling her closer in an unprincipled gesture that came out of him without any kind of forethought. He wove his fingers through her soft hair, pulling it haphazardly out of her carefully crafted updo. 

Suddenly, Rey broke the kiss, and Ben surprised himself by letting out an involuntary whimper at the loss of contact. He watched as she reached up to her scalp and pulled the intricate gold band out of her hair, causing the chestnut locks to tumble loosely around her shoulders. She let the band fall to the floor with a loud clang, then rushed back forward to capture Ben’s lips again. 

This kiss was unlike any they’d shared before; it was messy, wet, insistent, and it was clearly leading somewhere new. 

Ben slowly backed Rey up and pressed her against the wall, capturing her wrists in his hands and lifting them above her head, as his lips trailed kisses down her neck. He wasn’t sure where the gesture came from, but the sight of her underneath him set his body on fire. He heard her let out a growl, further fueling his own passion.

Ben felt himself growing hard, but he made it a point to keep that part of his body angled away from her, as not to pressure or frighten her. She was allowing herself to remain under his control, but he knew she could turn it back on him in a heartbeat. In reality, he was well aware that it was in fact he who was under her control, and he decided that he very much liked it. 

He continued paying attention to her neck, nipping and sucking the soft skin there as she let out delicious pants and soft moans. She arched her neck to the side to expose more of her skin to him, while running his fingers through his hair. At one point he accidentally bit a little too hard, leaping back as she cried out. 

“I’m so sorry”, he pleaded to her, worried that he’d come on too strong and ruined the moment. But the look on her face told him otherwise.

“Please”, she rasped, looking him squarely in the eye, her expression full of fiery passion. “Keep doing that. I like it”.

Ben obeyed her command and was back on her in seconds. He pressed his body against hers, weaving his hands frantically through her hair, trying to get more. More of what, he wondered; he wasn’t quite sure. He just knew that he needed to be closer to her; he wanted to take her in and consume her, just like she had consumed him. His heart, his thoughts, perhaps his very soul. 

One of his hands moved deftly down her neck, his arm curling around her upper back and pressing her chest up against his. He could feel how soft she was, even through all the layers of clothing they were wearing. 

“Uhh, Ben”, Rey finally groaned, breaking their kiss and pulling back. Ben pulled back, his apprehensive nature causing him to worry that something was wrong. He knew his eyes looked wide and fearful, but the expression on Rey’s face was both sparkling and lustful, immediately calming his nerves. 

“Can we, uh… can we move onto the floor?” Rey asked, her chest heaving up and down as she caught her breath. 

“Oh, yes of course”, Ben replied enthusiastically, crouching down to help her spread the blanket over the floor. He wondered if she’d brought the blanket up here in advance, in anticipation that this exact moment between them would happen.

Rey took her time smoothing the blanket out with her hand, and Ben suddenly realized she was stalling because she was nervous.

“Rey, is everything okay?” Ben asked, treading carefully and keeping a respectable distance from her, lest he scare her off.

“Yeah”, she said with a sunny smile. Ben had a feeling the look on her face was an attempt to hide her nerves. Finally she stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. “It’s just that… I’ve never done any of this before”, she finally admitted.

Ben looked down and let out a sharp, shaky breath, his own nerves taking hold once again. He glanced back up and looked into her eyes.

“Neither have I”, he said in a surprisingly calm, level voice. “But I don’t expect anything; we only have to do what you’re comfortable with”. 

Rey looked down, seemingly in thought, and nodded. Finally meeting his eyes once again, a smile started to grow on her face. She stood up on her knees and made her way over to him, looking into his eyes the whole time. Ben watched her intently as she brought a hand up to his face, gently swiping a lock of hair out of his eyes before skimming her fingers down his face; touching his cheek with her thumb, ghosting her fingertips across his forehead, and then down to his lips. Ben realized that by doing so, she was getting to know him. She watched him intently the entire time.

Ben responded to her touch by reaching up and stroking her hair. It felt incredibly soft under his fingers, and after reveling in the feeling for a few moments, Ben curled his hand around the back of her head and drew her in to meet her lips again. This kiss began slower and more languid, as there seemed to be a silent agreement that this was something that neither of them wanted to rush. However, this idea was quickly thrown out as the passion began to escalate to the level it was at before, and further. This time, Rey was the one who took charge, gently pushing Ben backwards so his head hit the soft blanket. Rey angled herself beside him, running her hands all through his hair and over his clothed chest as she kissed him, pressing her body up against his side. 

All the while, she let out soft, breathy sounds that began to drive him wild. He was thankful for the low light in the room, otherwise the rather insistent situation in his pants would have been far more obvious to her. He wondered if it would frighten her if she noticed it, or perhaps it would make her even more excited, to actually see the effect she was having on him? He wanted nothing more than to take her tiny hand in his and place it on that part of his body, but modesty and fear of her reaction prevented him from doing so.

Instead, he turned and focused his attention on her. She seemed to like when he sucked on her lower lip, and he shuddered at the low moan she emitted when he did so. He then moved his hands up and down her sides, and he noticed her eyes shoot up to his when he accidentally grazed her breast through her dress. He heard her inhale sharply, and at first he thought he’d gone too far, but when he pulled back from their kiss and saw the haze of pure lust in her eyes, he realized that wasn’t the case at all. Emboldened by her reaction, he reached up and repeated the motion, intentionally this time. The whimper that escaped her this time sent Ben reeling. He’d just barely skimmed his hand over her breast, but the softness he felt made him crave more. As if she knew exactly what he wanted, Rey sat herself up, reaching behind herself and unfastening her dress. Ben’s heart was beating out of his chest as he watched her pull the bodice down, her eyes locked on his the entire time. After a few moments he gathered enough courage to look down, the dim lightbulb just barely illuminating the room enough to allow him to see her bare chest. 

He hadn’t been sure quite what to expect, but the first thing he noticed was that her breasts were small, round and beautiful. Her nipples were pink and pointed towards him, and he instantly felt the most salacious urge to draw them into his mouth and suck on them. 

“Jesus, Rey”, he murmured, unable to do anything but stare. He could barely contain himself as she brought her hand to his, guiding it to one of her breasts.

It was softer than he ever imagined it would be, pliant under his fingertips as he began to knead her skin. The entire thing fit under his palm, and he marvelled at how delicate and smooth it was. His thoughts were broken as she leaned forward to kiss him again, pressing herself further against his hand. He daringly stroked her nipple with his thumb, and nearly leapt back in fear as she gasped into the kiss.

“Was that okay?” Ben murmured, stilling his hand on her breast. She only growled in response before feverishly capturing his lips again, her actions answering his question well enough. 

She then became even bolder, guiding him to angle his body to face her before pressing herself completely up against him. He had a strong urge to pull away, telling himself that his insistent erection was going to frighten her off, but his gut instinct told him otherwise. 

They both groaned in unison as Rey pressed her entire body against his, Ben breaking the kiss as all the sensations he was feeling started to become overwhelming. Even through all the layers of clothing, he knew she could feel how much he wanted her, and somehow it seemed to excite her even more. Clearly enjoying what she was feeling, Rey repeated the motion, pressing her hips against his as Ben was powerless to stop it, though he knew what would happen if she continued on like this. 

Ben felt himself getting lost in sensation; the feeling of her warmth pressed up against his body, the feel of her lips and tongue against his, the feeling of her naked breasts under his fingers, the increasingly filthy sounds coming out of her, and the delicious feeling of her body pressing up against his hardness.

Then, without warning, his traitorous body let go. He felt his hips thrust involuntarily against her without abandon, and a desperate, pleading groan escaped him. An odd mix of shame and intense pleasure washed over him, and she seemed to know exactly what he needed, pressing herself even harder against him. He shook and shuddered his way through his climax, Rey holding onto him the entire time.

Ben wanted to sink into the floor and hide as soon as it was over.

His eyes fearfully met Rey’s, convinced that she was going to think him some wild, undisciplined animal who had just used her body to get himself off. He was ready for her to storm off, to scream at him and tell him never to return.

Her actual reaction was far different.

She didn’t say anything at first, but he couldn’t help but notice a look of wonder in her eyes. Like him, she looked nervous, but a small, excited smile began growing on her face. 

No, she wasn’t angry with him at all. She was happy.

“Wow… that was”, she breathed. “I can’t even put into words how wonderful that was”. Her tone was excited, but she was clearly trying to temper herself to not sound too enthusiastic.

“You really thought so?” Ben responded, the surprise in his voice evident.

“Of course I did”, she replied with a giggle. 

“I’m sorry if I was too forward; I just, was having a good time and really got into it”, Rey confessed. Ben couldn’t believe what he was hearing. 

“You, too forward? Rey, you were perfect. I--I hope I didn’t hurt you”.

“Of course not”, she replied with a gentle smile. 

With that, she drew him into her arms, guiding them both down into a comfortable embrace on the blanket. She felt tiny in his arms; half naked and vulnerable, and he felt his heart swell with feelings for her. They lay there for several minutes, Ben ignoring the sticky mess in his pants to savor the last few moments he had with Rey.

“I love you, Ben”, she blurted out suddenly. He froze for a moment, his heart pounding while his thoughts raced, as he frantically tried to think of the right thing to say back to her.

“I love you too, Rey”, he finally replied.

  
  



	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thanks to the wonderful [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) for helping me work through the storyline in this fic.
> 
> A bit of plot is introduced here, I hope you enjoy!

Ben took great care sneaking back into the school; it was well past midnight and if caught, he would have no acceptable explanation for where he’d been or who he’d been with.

As usual, Canady was passed out in his chair in the sitting room, where he’d likely been since the morning, the usual flask of whiskey lying on the floor next to his chair. Ben wondered if the whiskey Canady drank tasted as bitter as the cheap stuff he’d had at the party.

He tiptoed past the sleeping man, cringing as some of the floorboards creaked underneath his feet. Sometimes he wished he wasn’t so big; it was almost comedic how he was trying to act graceful as he snuck his massive frame across the hall and up the stairs.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally clicked the latch on his bedroom door shut. Realizing that he’d successfully evaded the school authorities, Ben quickly peeled his clothes off and cleaned himself up at the wash basin in his room. He then flopped on his bed and allowed his thoughts to drift back to the night he’d just had. And of course, to Rey. 

It was hard to believe that just an hour before, he’d been lying in a tiny room in the tower with her, stroking her half naked body as he kissed her. 

He remembered the feeling he had as he pressed his erection up against her clothed body; a delicious pressure pulsing within him, one that it seemed only she could relieve. 

She hadn’t explicitly said so, but judging from her reactions, it seemed that she had been enjoying their activities just as much as he. Such a notion had previously been unfathomable to Ben. Never in his life did he think that women would, or even could, enjoy such activities. Ben had been taught from a young age that the sole purpose of a coupling between a man and a woman was to conceive a child; and any pleasure felt by the man as a result was just to help the process along. 

But Rey had seemed to want to help him along, and in turn seemed to be having quite a grand time herself. He recalled how her fingers tightened around his arm as he rutted against her; he could still hear the moans that came out of her mouth as he brushed his thumb across her peaked nipple, and he couldn’t forget the feeling he had when she shamelessly pushed her body up against his as she kissed him passionately. Yes, it was unmistakable. She must have felt a similar pleasure coursing through her body. 

Ben realized after a few moments of recalling the events from the tower in his head, that an unfortunate situation had arisen in his nether regions. Though he wanted nothing more than to reach down and begin stroking himself to the thought of Rey and her half naked body, it was the thought of her that made him feel even more ashamed. What would she think if she knew he was considering touching himself to the thought of her? She’d most certainly be disgusted.

Ben managed to restrain himself, but he couldn’t manage to erase the thought of her from his mind. He sighed happily when he remembered what she’d said at the end of everything - that she loved him. It was as though he could hear her low, soothing voice in his head, saying it to him over and over. 

He’d always considered himself unlovable; an outcast who was misunderstood even by his own parents, his size and mismatched facial features gaining him no favors or attention from anyone. 

But somehow despite those things, Rey loved him, and that was worth everything. 

That night, for the first time in a while, Ben didn’t have any nightmares.

\----

  
  


“So how have you been finding your work, boy?”

It was as if Snoke’s voice was a bucket of icy water, bringing him harshly out of the lovestruck reverie he’d been in for the past day.

“Uh, very well Sir”. 

Ben stood in Snoke’s dark, gloomy office, twisting his hands back and forth nervously as he faced his elderly mentor.

“I’ve heard some good things about you from my men there”, came the unfeeling reply. “However, if you want to rise up in the company, I’m going to need you to be more…  _ dedicated  _ to your tasks.

“Sir?” Ben replied in a somewhat meek voice. 

“Your hours are going to be increasing. I expect you there at 6am every morning, that way you can learn more aspects of the business. This week you’ll be spending time with the men who run product, so you’ll be out in the field for a bit. Then I’ll have you back in the office working on some other types of ledgers. You’ll be working some long days, and the work isn’t easy, so you’ll need to build up a thicker skin”.

“Uh, yes sir,'' Ben said, a little too tentatively.

Snoke raised an eyebrow.

“You best not disappoint me, boy. You’ve been my star pupil for years, but you still have far to go if you want to be successful in my business. Acting like a timid child is not going to get you anywhere”.

“I know sir”, Ben replied, trying to appear more confident but feeling his voice grow shaky, as he knew he was treading on increasingly thin ice with Snoke. He felt his hands begin to sweat as he nervously picked at his fingernails, praying the meeting would soon be over. Though he dwarfed Snoke in stature, he felt reduced to a small child in his presence. In short, he was terrified.

Suddenly, an unbidden thought of Rey popped into his mind. He thought of her kind face; her sweet voice, and then her playfulness, warmth, and softness . It was these thoughts of Rey that helped Ben gain his bearings. Within a few moments, he felt his nerves begin to calm down, the image of Rey soothing his anxieties. He took a deep breath and felt a serene smile creep across his face. 

“I’m grateful for this opportunity, Sir. I look forward to working extended hours and learning more about the business”, Ben said, the stutter in his voice completely gone. Snoke gave the slightest raise of an eyebrow, perhaps catching the sudden change in Ben’s demeanor, but he seemed pleased nonetheless.

“Very well, child. I look forward to seeing your progress”, he said. 

Ben was dismissed with the flick of a hand, and he wasted no time removing himself from the gloomy atmosphere of Snoke’s office.

On Monday, Ben was sure to arrive at the office bright and early. He wasn’t used to rising before the sun, and his eyes burned with sleepiness during the entire journey to work. There was no time for exhaustion, however, when he arrived. A man who Ben had seen around the office a few times before was waiting for him, introducing himself as Mr. Peavey. Ben was polite, returning the introduction before telling the man how grateful he was to be there, but Peavey seemed too busy to care. He hastily cut Ben off as he spoke, barking about how there was no time to be exchanging pleasantries, and to save such conversation for a tea party. 

Ben learned very quickly not to get in Peavey’s way. He wasn’t a particularly large man, but he lumbered around the office with a confidence that made him seem like he was ten feet tall. The others seemed to steer clear of him, and the few who didn’t received a harsh dose of his wrath. Ben obediently followed the man around, not uttering a peep unless spoken to. 

Later that day, Peavey brought him out into the field, which meant that the two men, along with some of the other, gruffer looking men from the office, traveled around to warehouses around the city. Some of the locations seemed quite shady, and Ben inadvertently received a taste of what life was like in certain neighborhoods of the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Some of the sections he passed through were a far cry from anything he’d ever seen before. Dirty children in rags scurried around the streets like small animals, some running up to Ben and his colleagues asking for food or money. Of course Ben had heard of places like this, but he’d never witnessed such a high level of poverty with his own eyes. Even the impoverished circus life at Dreamland seemed like a far cry from what he was seeing. The children he saw at the circus were dressed in the same tattered clothes as the ones he was seeing now, but at least the circus urchins all seemed to have a sense of wonder and excitement in their eyes. However, these street children looked bleak and despairing, as if they knew their lives were never going to be any different than they were now.

Ben thought of Rey, and imagined that she probably could trace her origins back to a neighborhood like this. He suddenly felt oddly grateful that her parents had abandoned her at the circus; he couldn’t imagine her growing up like these children, and losing that sense of childlike wonder she always carried. 

“Get away from me, filthy vermin”, Peavey shouted, snapping Ben out of his thoughts. Ben watched as he carelessly pushed past the children who were crowding him, grumbling to himself when he realized that his booming voice did nothing to deter them. 

Each neighborhood was the same; beggars swarmed the group at every turn, likely sensing that Ben and Peavey were particularly well off due to their manner of dress. Once Ben and his coworkers reached their destination, which was generally a dilapidated warehouse on the outskirts of the neighborhood, Peavey would instruct Ben to wait outside while the rest of the men went inside to conduct business. Ben had no idea what transpired in these meetings; though he thought he heard some sounds coming out of the buildings that sounded slightly unnerving. During most of the meetings he heard loud banging, and at one, he even swore he heard a man screaming.

After they’d been to their fourth warehouse, Ben asked Peavey what the meetings were for, and if he might be present for one, as he wanted to learn as much as possible about the business. However, he was met with contempt, and a snapping reply informing him that for now, he was only to accompany the men to learn the route, and nothing else. 

The rest of the day was long and boring; and as Peavey and his men finally exited the last warehouse carrying a large burlap sack, the sun was nearly setting. Fortunately the last location was in Brooklyn, which would allow Ben a bit of time to go see Rey, as long as his job didn’t take up much more of his time. He’d already been working for twelve hours, and he was exhausted. Her face would be the most welcome sight after such a long, strange day. 

“We just have one more place to go”, Peavey told Ben matter-of-factly. Ben wanted to object and tell the man that he needed to be heading home, but he had a feeling that Peavey wouldn’t react well to such a statement. 

Ben was led out to a salt marsh along the Hudson River, watching the men curiously as they walked in front of him. Two of them were carrying the burlap sack between them, Ben noting that whatever was inside seemed quite heavy. The ground was soft and squishy under his feet, and a few cinderblocks and other items lay scattered around; the area seemed to be some kind of dumping ground for garbage.

He was a bit confused as to why they were taking this detour, but he also had an ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him whatever was happening, was not good.

Ben’s two coworkers carelessly dropped the sack down on the ground, another man pulling a twisted rope out of a bag he’d been carrying. Ben watched as one of the more burly men lifted a cinderblock as though it weighed nothing at all, and tossed it down near the sack. He then carefully tied the rope through the cinderblock, also looping it around the outside of the sack, tying the two items together. He worked quickly and expertly, as though he’d done this very thing a hundred times before.

Two of the men then lifted the attached cinderblock and bag, and with great strength, threw it over the edge of the embankment. Ben realized, with a sense of dread slowly rising in his gut, that the cinderblock must have been tied to the sack to weigh its contents down. 

Just before it disappeared under the water, he caught a glimpse of what looked like a deep red bloodstain on the underside of the sack. 

Ben wanted to ask Peavey about it, but something in his mind told him not to.

  
  
  


\----

  
  
  


Ben walked towards Coney Island in a daze. Something about the day’s events just weren’t sitting well with him. He’d been relieved when Peavey dismissed him for the day at the salt marsh, with a stern reminder not to be late the next day. He cringed at the thought of being back at work in less than twelve hours, but the prospect of seeing Rey soothed him greatly. 

It was dark out, and the garish lights around the entrance to Luna Park shined harshly in his eyes as he strolled past it. The ones that illuminated neighboring Dreamland weren’t any less bright, but the millions of twinkling bulbs held more of an ethereal quality to him; they gave him a sense of wonder and happiness. He breathed a sigh of relief as he reached the gate, a deep feeling of peace and comfort finally washing over him after the strange day he’d had.

He paid the entrance fee, the attendant giving him a funny look and a warning that the park and all the attractions were closing soon; Ben just smiled and nodded as he continued on his way. 

He strolled down the path towards the sideshow that Rey worked at, smiling to himself as he passed the large white tower where they’d shared such an intimate moment just a few days before. Ben wondered if Rey looked back on that moment as happily as he did. He also wondered if she was reminded of him every time she looked at the tower, like he was of her. 

The area that housed the sideshows was eerily empty, the last few visitors of the day making their way to the front entrance. Ben walked briskly past the shacks, his heart quickening as he reached the one Rey worked at. 

As he came closer to the tiny building, Ben began to hear the sound of a man shouting. He’d heard yelling here before, as some of the people who worked at Coney Island were drunks, or just a bit on the rough side, but a sense of dread began to rise in his stomach as he came to realize as he walked past the row of shacks that the sound was coming from Rey’s building.

“I know you’re fucking hiding some from me, girl; I’m withholding your wages until you cough up my money. There’s no way you only made this much today!”

Ben reached the shack and peered through the door to see a stout, ugly man screaming at someone who was obstructed by the doorway. Ben could see rage in his eyes, and he could tell the man was seconds away from becoming violent. 

“Unkar, I swear, this is all I have. The park wasn’t busy today. It rained earlier, so I really didn’t have many customers”, a female voice pleaded. He knew that voice anywhere. It was Rey.

“That’s no excuse! Next time, you need to work harder! I don’t fucking care if you have to sell yourself to get people through that door!” Unkar screamed, lunging forward and grabbing Rey’s arm. He heard her whimper as she yanked her arm out of his grasp. 

Ben felt his body begin to involuntarily move towards the shack in an attempt to defend her. However, she fled before it could further escalate, pushing past the man and running tearfully down the steps, as her boss huffed angrily and turned back into the shack. 

Rey gasped loudly as she ran straight into Ben, clearly unaware that he’d been right outside. As soon as she realized who she’d crashed into, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly as though she never wanted to let go. Ben instinctually returned her tight embrace, wrapping his arms warmly around her, and threading his large fingers through her hair. He clutched her body to his as he felt her begin to cry against his chest. 

“I’m so glad you’re here”, Rey wailed between sobs, her breathing choppy and uneven as she tried to regain control of her emotions. 

“Did he hurt you?” Ben asked softly, pulling back a bit to look her in the eyes.

“No, not this time”, she responded, casting her eyes downwards as though she was embarrassed that Ben had seen what happened. He felt a fiery anger bubbling up inside of him over the fact that Rey was made to feel so badly. He wanted more than anything to take her away from all of this and protect her. 

She sniffled in his arms for a few more minutes, and then pulled back, grabbing Ben’s hand and silently leading him to the side of the shack. He was startled out of his mind as she suddenly pressed him back against the wall, pulling him down for a searing, hungry kiss. After a few stunned moments, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pressed her body to his, returning the kiss with the same fervor as she was giving it. 

He began to feel himself harden against her, nearly whimpering as she pressed her thigh gently between his legs, the friction causing his entire body to shudder. She thrust her tongue hungrily into his mouth, latching onto him as though her life depended on it. Finally, after several intense moments she broke the kiss, her tear-stained cheeks pink with exertion and her chest heaving up and down as though she’d just run a marathon. Ben was equally breathless, looking into her eyes with astonishment as his racing heartbeat began to return to normal. 

“I missed you”, she said quietly, looking anxiously into his eyes as though she was revealing one of her deepest secrets. Her vulnerability struck him, so he placed a comforting hand on her bare arm.

“I missed you too, Rey. So much”, he said reassuringly, looking into her eyes. She gave him a soft smile, finally allowing a bit of her playful demeanor shine through again.

“How long do you have?” Rey asked.

“Not long”, he responded regretfully, taking her hand in his and squeezing it. “I started a new portion of my training today, and it was pretty brutal. Seeing you right now is… definitely a breath of fresh air”, he added. 

“I know what you mean”, she replied, her tone relieved. A short silence ensued between them as they gazed at each other, each lost in thought.

“Rey, I don’t want you to work for him anymore”, Ben said suddenly, the words slipping out without any forethought. Rey’s expression was soft.

“Ben, it’s okay. He’s an asshole, but I know how to handle him. I’ve been working for that guy since I was ten years old; this is nothing new”.

“But I saw him put a hand on you”.

“It was just a threat, Ben. He’d never actually hurt me. Sure it sucks that he withholds my wages, but you don’t have to worry about him physically harming me. I promise”. 

“Okay”, Ben replied earnestly with a sigh. “But, if he does anything to you, please promise you’ll tell me”.

“Of course, I promise”, Rey said, a small smile crossing her face. She placed a hand on Ben’s cheek, lightly caressing it before running her fingers through his hair. The sensation was a bit ticklish, and the feeling he got from it, along with the look Rey was giving him, suddenly made the atmosphere feel a lot more charged.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you”, she said, her voice suddenly low and husky. Ben felt a surge of desire course through him. 

“Me either”, he replied. “The other night was…” Ben trailed off, unable to think of a word that could properly describe how he felt.

“Incredible”, she breathed with a smile.

“Yeah… it was”, he replied, shivering at the memory. He wished more than anything that he could sweep her off her feet and carry her back to the tower, continuing what they’d started a few days before. However, he knew he didn’t have enough time now, so it would have to wait. He wanted to take his time exploring her body and learning how to please her. And at this point, he was confident that she felt the same.

His thought was confirmed just a moment later when she spoke. 

“Can you come back Friday night? I have a place we can go”, she said, her tone nervous, and laden with insinuation. 

“A place we can go?” Ben repeated, unsure if he understood her correctly.

“Yeah. My friend Paige has a room that she’ll let me use”, she said, looking down bashfully. “It’s small, but we can, you know… be alone. And it has a bed. It’s a lot more comfortable than the tower”. 

She looked back up at him, her eyes wide and nervous. 

“Friday? Uhh, yes, of course I can be here”, he replied immediately, his heart again beginning to race. He knew very well that Hux would notice him missing two Friday nights in a row, but he didn’t care. He’d come up with an excuse later. 

For now, his mind was reeling. 

“Okay, good”, Rey said, nodding her head and letting out a shaky breath she must have been holding. “So um, meet me back here on Friday night at 7?”

“I’ll be here”, he replied, trying not to allow a smile take over his face. In a manner that was surprisingly calm, he placed a hand on her face and brought his lips to hers. He felt her giggle into the kiss with delight, playfully winding her hands in his hair and tugging on it gently as she explored his mouth with her tongue.

They kissed for another few minutes before Ben finally tore himself away. As he made his way home, he ran through their conversation in his mind again, wondering how he was possibly going to endure the wait for Friday. Looking at his watch, Ben calculated in his head how long it would be.

_ Four days, 22 hours, and 31 minutes. _

  
  
  


He hoped that the time would pass quickly.

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben get a lot... closer. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took so long! But, I hope the several thousand words of smut makes up for it.
> 
> I was gifted with some beautiful artwork for this fic!! Thanks to my dear friend [TazWren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TazWren/pseuds/TazWren) for commissioning this beautiful piece from the amazing [@lauvamp_](https://twitter.com/lauvamp_), depicting the dancing scene from chapter 6! And once again, thanks to [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) who has helped me so much with plot points and scene building, and also is one of the best friends I could ask for. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Ben awoke the next morning with a start, unable to remember what he’d dreamt about during the night. His body felt very unsettled, indicating that whatever dreams he’d had were not happy ones. He squinted his eyes as light streamed through the tall windows, the familiar sounds of the morning hustle and bustle of the city below echoing through them.

After the haze of sleep began to lift, memories of the previous day slowly began to return to him. First, his mind drifted to work, and the events that had transpired at the different warehouses he’d been brought to, as well as the disconcerting trip to the salt marsh. Dread began to fill the pit of his stomach when he thought about returning to work again today, but he then squashed down the feeling by telling himself that he was likely just experiencing jitters over the fact that he was still at the start of a new job. 

Ben’s mind then drifted to his visit with Rey. It had been brief, but it had ended with an invitation, one laced heavily with insinuation. A different type of jitters suddenly coursed through his body; the prospect of their relationship being taken to the next level, causing a nervous excitement to flood him.

He was aware of what would likely happen, and he knew he wanted it more than anything, but he also realized that he was woefully inexperienced. What if he couldn’t figure out how everything worked? What if he accidentally hurt her? What if he found her difficult to please? He now wished he’d spent more time talking with Hux; though his friend’s conversations about women were vulgar and crude, he at least had some knowledge about navigating the female body. Ben cursed his upbringing and what he’d been taught; that sex was not something to be enjoyed, it was for procreation only. No further instruction had been provided.

Suddenly, a thought hit him like a brick to the head. Procreation. What if Rey accidentally became pregnant?

——

“You? And a girl?” 

Hux’s dumbfounded reaction was just as Ben had anticipated. 

“Who on earth would want to—“

“Shut up, Hux, and just answer my question, okay?”

“Fine”, Hux said with a sigh. “But why do you even care? It’s not like you’d be responsible for the child, if she did end up falling pregnant”. 

Ben narrowed his eyes.

“I care about her, you asshole”.

Hux shrugged as a look of confused exasperation crossed his face.

“Okay, well, you’re not going to like any of these methods. Don’t say I didn’t warn you”.

——

Ben’s head was swimming as he walked to work. He hadn’t realized that with sex came such a great deal of forethought and responsibility. 

After Hux had told him what he’d asked for, he continued to pry Ben for information on who his mysterious girl was. Ben managed to keep most of the details from his eager friend, though he did end up giving away the fact that she lived in Brooklyn and that she wasn’t a society lady. 

Ben chuckled at the fact that Hux had actually caught Ben swooning over Rey when they’d first met, yet now he didn’t make the connection that she was the girl he was referring to. He reveled in the fact that it was a secret; it somehow made it feel safer for him. His heart once again skipped a beat as he thought about what Friday night would bring, and it nearly caused him to add a skip to his step. He almost had an urge to smile at the men and women who passed by him, most of them clad in black suits and long, fashionable dresses. Even the unpleasant smell of the city streets and the fact that he was almost run over by a wagon didn’t bother him.

His positive mood was soured the moment he stepped foot into work. Peavey shouted at Ben for arriving just on time; apparently it wasn’t early enough. 

“You should be here at least ten minutes early”, Peavey chided in a viciously condescending tone. “I expect you to be ready to work by 6:00am, not just coming through the door”. 

“Yes, sir”, Ben replied, bowing his head in shame. 

\----

The week passed slowly and painfully. Like his first day with Peavey, Ben wasn’t allowed to do very much; he was still forced to wait outside at every stop they made. Every day they passed through the same neighborhoods, and every day the same impoverished beggar children constantly scurried by. 

About halfway through his third day, Ben found himself waiting outside one of the warehouses in the Bronx. As he paced around, playing with the loose change in his pockets, Ben caught sight of two such children running through the crowd of pedestrians, politely asking each and every person for money. Even from a ways away, he could hear their tiny voices, the desperation in their tone evident. 

“We haven’t eaten in two days, could you possibly spare a penny or two?”

Ben stood watching the scene for a few minutes, and he found himself almost impressed with the resilience and determination that the children had, continuing on even as they were rejected by every single adult that they approached. 

He found himself disgusted by all the well dressed men and women who treated the seemingly innocent children like they were even less important than the dirt on their shiny, expensive shoes, as if they were something to be ignored and neglected. 

He realized his society upbringing had trained him to feel the same way about the less fortunate; it was something that had been ingrained into his subconscious since he was a child. But now, he felt nothing but sympathy for the children. What had changed?

It was Rey, he realized. Rey would have given her every last cent to these children, despite not even having much money of her own.

In an uncharacteristically brazen move, Ben marched up to the small children, grabbing a fistful of change from his pocket and gently placing it into their now outstretched hands. He realized that the look of wonder and astonishment that crossed their faces was worth far more to him than the money he’d just given away.

Just as the children ran away, the door burst open. A very angry looking Peavey emerged, his sleeves rolled up and, to Ben’s horror, a large amount of blood all over his hands and forearms. One of the other men poured water from a bottle onto Peavey’s bloody hands, rinsing off the mess. He must’ve felt Ben’s eyes on him, for he looked up and narrowed his eyes, presumably at Ben’s stunned expression.

“What? It’s just a little blood”, Peavey muttered with a snicker. “Boy, you’re pale as a sheet. You’re going to need to build up a thicker skin if you want to work with us”.

Ben’s gaze snapped to the sliding wooden door of the warehouse as another one of his coworkers emerged. Peering inside, Ben spotted a man, rumpled and bloody, lying on the dirt floor. He was writhing in pain, with an agonized look on his face. One of his eyes was heavily bruised and swollen, and smears of blood and dirt covered his face. Ben locked eyes with him just before the door shut, the look on the man’s face anguished and pleading. 

Ben decided that he hated Peavey and his henchmen, and wondered if Snoke knew that such vile people worked for him.

Ben’s mind was racing as they journeyed to their next destination. He wondered if he should discuss what he’d just seen with Snoke. Ben knew that though the old man was a bit intimidating, but also that he was a dedicated and successful businessman. Surely he couldn’t know such things were happening just under his nose. Right?

He ultimately decided to hold off on speaking with Snoke just yet, instead he would wait and see if anything else questionable happened. 

——

The final two days of the week passed without incident, though they seemed to drag mercilessly for Ben. All he could think of was his plans with Rey, and the nervous excitement he felt grew as the days passed. On Friday morning, Ben scrubbed his skin furiously to ensure that he was as fresh and clean as possible. And then, as work drew to a close that day, his stomach was churning so violently that he thought he might be ill. 

His hands were sweating as he walked down the path to where Rey worked, and he felt a heady mix of nervous excitement. There was a slight concern that his chest might burst open from all the nerves, but fortunately he reached Rey’s cabin with his entire body intact. He was more than a half hour early, but he was too eager anxious and eager to wait around.

Ben was expecting to see her the moment the cabin came into view, but as he approached, he noticed that she was missing from her usual post. He peered around both sides of the building, only to find the area empty. Only a few park patrons walked by, bathed in a surreal orange glow cast along the walking path by the dwindling sunlight. He wondered if she was off getting ready, but he doubted it, since he knew she had to work right up until their planned time together.

He stood awkwardly outside the building, shifting his weight nervously between his feet, hoping that Rey - or even someone else he knew - would emerge. His mind began to race. Perhaps she was afraid and had decided she didn’t want to go through with it? 

No, the logical part of his mind finally concluded. He knew she wouldn’t hide from him if that was the case. She’d at least come and tell him herself. 

Ben eyed the black velvet curtain that hung in the doorway, obscuring the interior of the building from view. After a few moments of debating in his head, he finally crept up the steps and peered behind the curtain. 

Finn was seated reading a book, and he glanced up the moment Ben pulled the curtain back. He was initially a bit nervous to see Finn and not Rey, but he relaxed as soon as he saw a smile form on the other man’s face.

“Oh hey Ben”, Finn said as he stood up. He spoke in a friendly and casual tone, as if he’d known Ben for years. 

“Uh, is Rey around?”, Ben asked. His voice sounded nervous and shaky, and he hoped Finn didn’t notice.

“Yeah, she just got called over to Maz’s, for something with the babies. She shouldn’t be long, but you can meet her over there if you’d like”.

“Yeah, I’ll do that. Thanks Finn”, Ben replied. 

“See you around”, Finn replied, eyeing Ben a bit. Ben walked away, his face heating up as he wondered if the other man had been filled in on what would likely transpire that evening. He hoped not.

Ben felt his nerves heighten once again as he quickly walked to the building that housed the incubators. 

“We’re closed, I’m sorry”, said a pretty female voice as soon as he opened the door. Ben stepped inside just as he saw Rey turned around, clothed in her white medical gown and a white surgical cap on her head. He also recognized tiny Annabelle in her arms. Rey looked busy, and he immediately regretted showing up early and bothering her at work.

All of his apprehension dissipated the moment she saw him, her entire face lighting up with a smile. 

“Ben!” Rey exclaimed happily, taking great care in protecting the bundle in her arms as she walked briskly over to Ben . “I wasn’t expecting you yet! How did you know I was here?”

“Finn told me; I hope it’s okay. I, uh, got out of work and came straight here. S-sorry to bother you at work”, he stammered nervously. Everything seemed so much more real now that she was standing in front of him.

“Oh, don’t be silly”, Rey replied with a grin. “You should know by now that you’re not a bother to me. Honestly, I’ve been watching the clock for hours, waiting for the time when you’d arrive. I was just finishing up with her, and then we can be on our way”.

There was a sparkle in her eye as she said those words, and it caused Ben to let out a nervous breath. 

He stood awkwardly with his hands clasped behind his back, watching Rey as she carefully nestled Annabelle back in her incubator before removing her medical gown to reveal the dress underneath. It was a simple, short sleeved dress made of sheer, sand colored fabric that was wrapped and draped over a white base dress. A light pink sash underneath her bust tied the outfit together, accentuating her modest chest. As she removed the white nurse’s cap, her dark hair tumbled down her back, styled in loose curls. She looked feminine and beautiful, and Ben’s breath hitched in his chest when he saw her. 

He swore he saw her cheeks color a bit as she smiled demurely back at him, seemingly taking a moment to gather herself before speaking again. 

“Are you ready?” Rey asked, her voice lower than normal.

“Yes”, Ben breathed, not moving from his spot on the floor.

“Right”, Rey whispered, nodding to herself before taking Ben’s hand in hers. “Let’s go”, she said quietly as she led him out of the building. 

The pair barely spoke a word as they walked down the pathway, opting instead for an awkward, nervous silence. Ben wondered if Rey could feel how cold and sweaty his hand was; hers was warm and her grip firm. Every so often he’d peek over at her, and she’d glance back at him and let out a small giggle. She looked eager and excited, and Ben was relieved that neither of them had chickened out.

Rey led him to a row of apartment buildings just outside the confines of the park. They entered one of the buildings, and Ben followed Rey up to the second floor. The building wasn’t dilapidated as many of the buildings in the area were, but it certainly wasn’t a place where anyone with any amount of money lived. 

While still holding his hand, Rey produced a skeleton key, carefully inserting it into the lock on one of the doors. She pushed the heavy door open to reveal a room like Ben had never seen before. It was ostentatiously decorated in a style that was reminiscent of the Far East; velvet fabrics were draped throughout, all colored in deep reds, purples and greens. A large, plush looking canopy bed sat on the far side of the room, which was decorated with matching purple pillows and bedspread, with a hint of red satin sheets underneath. The wooden floor was shiny and new looking, perhaps even nicer than the immaculate floors at his boarding school. A small en-suite bathroom was also attached to the room.

“So, uh, this is Paige’s place”, Rey said, gesturing around the room. 

“It’s nice”, Ben replied, looking around and feigning interest in the quirky decor; anything to distract him from the fact that his nerves were about to cause him to spontaneously combust. 

Ben scanned the room for an awkwardly long time, unsure of what to do next. Should he initiate something? No, he was far too nervous. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at Rey. He began to panic internally.

“Uh, should we sit down?” Rey finally asked, gently taking his hand again and leading him over to the edge of the bed. He looked at her soft face, and the loose curls falling over her shoulders. Her dress was moderately low cut, and Ben felt his face heat up as he stared at her chest. 

After a few moments, Ben began to wonder why Rey wasn’t moving. She’d been the one to initiate most of their encounters, but this time she was just sitting there, motionless, looking down at their clasped hands. 

“Uh, is everything okay?” Ben finally asked, unsure of where he’d gathered the courage to do so. 

“Yes I’m fine”, she immediately replied with a sunny smile. Ben smiled back, though he wasn’t entirely convinced. Rey then placed a hand on his cheek and lunged forward, suddenly drawing Ben into an awkward, uncomfortable kiss. 

Ben tried to kiss her back but she seemed too eager. He tried not to react when she accidentally bit his lip and clacked her teeth hard against his, but when she pushed him backwards onto the bed, inadvertently striking his head against the wall, he yelped in pain, effectively killing any mood that had been building. 

“Rey”, Ben said incredulously, sitting back up and rubbing the back of his head. She looked mortified. “What’s wrong?”

Rey sighed, looking down at her lap before glancing nervously back up at him.

“I’m so nervous”, she finally admitted. “I feel like the last time, in the tower, things happened so naturally… but now there’s more of an expectation, you know? I just really don’t know what I’m doing, as much as Paige and the others have tried to prepare me. I’ve been so excited about this moment all week and now that it’s finally here, I’m absolutely panicking”.

Rey looked and sounded as though she was going to cry, as though what she was saying would be entirely disappointing to him. He felt a wave of relief course through him; it turned out that she was just as nervous as he. It was this knowledge that gave him a sudden, unexpected boost of confidence. 

“Rey”, Ben started, grabbing her hand again and looking at her with an earnest gaze that she reluctantly met. “I’m panicking too, I have been all day. M—my hands are all sweaty and my mouth is dry, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I haven’t been able to get a sentence out without stammering”. Rey looked down and let out a giggle, as Ben squeezed her hand to try and comfort her. “I’m nervous too, and I really don’t expect anything. If you’re not ready, we don’t have to”.

“I’m ready”, she clarified immediately. “Just… can we take things slow?”

“Of course”, Ben replied quietly. He’d never seen her look so beautiful; the look on her face was serene but eager, and as she looked up at him she gave him an earnest smile; a smile so broad and genuine that even her eyes showed her happiness. 

With that, Rey placed a hand tenderly around the back of Ben’s head and drew him in for another kiss.

This time, the kiss was softer and more gentle, and Ben felt himself shudder with quiet delight as the passion began to grow. 

“You smell so nice”, Rey breathed sensually, and Ben captured her mouth again, drawing her lower lip into his mouth. 

Kissing had become something so familiar to them now, and they found themselves falling into their usual rhythm. However, their movements were more careful, and perhaps a bit more timid as well. This time they both knew exactly where it was leading.

To Ben’s surprise, Rey took the lead despite her nerves. She gently pushed Ben back on the bed, this time more gently and taking care to cushion his head with her hand as he fell back. She climbed on top of him, pulling her dress up slightly to allow her to straddle him.

He knew his nether regions had been worked up into a state, but thankfully Rey kept herself lifted off that part of his body for now. Ben silently prayed that he would last longer than a few minutes of this, though he didn’t exactly have much faith in himself. He’d long neglected that part of his body and knew he didn’t have much stamina, judging from their previous encounter in the tower. His nerves were going crazy, but so was his level of excitement. Ben gasped a little bit when Rey placed her hands on Ben’s cheeks, kissing him sensually as she pressed the top half of her body against his. Feeling her weight on top of him made him shiver, despite the warmth her body was emitting. 

As things quickly began to escalate, Rey began trying to awkwardly shimmy out of her dress. At first, she brought a hand up and tried to push it down at her shoulders, and as soon as Ben realized what she was doing, he tried to help her. However, neither of them seemed willing to part their lips, so they were unsuccessful in their attempts to undress her. Finally, Rey broke the kiss with a growl and a few heaving breaths.

“Ben, can I see you?” 

Her voice was ragged and laced with desire. 

Ben felt his face go white at the question; it was innocent enough, but it was also something he’d been dreading. His body was huge, pale, and covered in odd freckles. What if she didn’t like the way he looked?

“Uhh, sure”, Ben stammered nervously. She must have sensed his hesitation, because she put a comforting hand on his cheek and kissed him softly again before lifting herself off of him. She stood up, eyeing him widely as she began to delicately untie the bow on the back of her dress. Ben stood too, shaking as he removed his jacket, tossing it onto a chair as he ran his other hand through his hair. 

Rey bit her lip as she pushed her dress off her shoulders, slowly pulling it down so her chest was exposed. She’d shown this part of her body to him in the tower, but the bright electric lights in this room provided him with a far better view. He began to salivate as he stood before her, captivated by the sight of her small, round breasts. 

Rey looked at him expectantly, and Ben realized that she was giving him a cue to respond. He snapped out of the haze he was in, his hands jumping to his shirt as he quickly began to unbutton it. He watched Rey’s face carefully as he pulled off both that and his undershirt, and was almost shocked to see that her eyes widened in delight at the sight of his bare chest. Ben let out a shuddering breath when he realized that her reaction was a positive one.

He began to slowly unfasten his pants, but froze when he saw Rey take a deep breath and pushed the rest of her dress, as well as her undergarments, quickly down her legs. 

Ben stood there, stunned at the sight of her naked body as she stepped out of her dress. Her eyes didn’t leave his; he could tell she was trying to gauge his reaction. She placed her hands shyly on her stomach, running her fingers along her skin in movements that were inadvertently enticing. 

Every part of her looked soft and smooth, and was dotted with a smattering of freckles that Ben wanted to run his fingers along. She was quite thin, but her breasts, as well as her stomach and hips, gave her body a bit of curve that was incredibly alluring. 

It took him a moment to gather the courage to look down to the place in between her legs; something that had always been shrouded in mystery but that he wondered about often. He couldn’t see much aside from a layer of hair, and he hoped she would show him what was underneath. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of exploring that part of her body.

Rey gave Ben a shy smile, and he realized that he’d been staring at her with his mouth open. Suddenly realizing that she was expecting him to respond, he hastily finished unfastening his pants, which he had been straining uncomfortably against. 

Taking a deep breath, Ben then pulled down his underwear, quickly bringing his hands up to cover himself. His length was hard, heavily jutting out from his body, and he noticed that Rey was eyeing him curiously, her head tilted to the side as she tried to see what he was covering with his hands.

“You don’t have to be shy, Ben”, Rey said in a soft, soothing voice; a sound so quiet that it was nearly a whisper. Ben wondered how she was remaining so calm, but her demeanor reassured him as he slowly removed his hands, exposing himself to her.

He didn’t miss how her eyes widened as she took in the sight of him for the first time. He had partially expected her to shrink back in disgust, but instead he saw that her gaze held both adoration, awe, and even a little bit of hunger. 

They stood, naked in front of each other for the very first time, each staring at the other’s body. Ben could see Rey’s chest rising and falling rapidly, and he watched as her eyes slowly trailed the length of his body, and finally back up to meet his eyes again. He noticed that a faint blush stained her cheeks.

Ben felt his own heart racing, and his eyes fell to her lips before returning back to her eyes. Unsure if he should make a move, he was equal parts relieved and terrified when she began walking towards him, slowly and deliberately as though he was a frightened animal who could be scared away at any moment.

Ben swallowed thickly as she reached out and gently grasped his hand, her feather light touch only adding to his arousal. Rey led him over to the bed, motioning for him to sit down next to her, an invitation that he quickly accepted. 

Ben felt very exposed sitting next to her; he could feel the heat from her thigh against his. Their hands remained clasped together, now more tightly, as they sat in silence for a moment. Finally, Rey spoke in a voice that was both quiet and husky. 

“Can I touch you?”

Ben inhaled a deep breath before nodding.

With a shaky hand, Rey reached down and touched his length, softly at first, but increasing the firmness of her grip as she got to know this new part of his body. How was it possible that her fingers felt this good? Ben knew he was approaching the edge just by her simple touch, and he tried his hardest to hold back. 

“Is this… the right way?” Rey asked breathlessly, tearing her eyes momentarily away from his lap to look him earnestly in the eye. Ben could do little but nod as he bit his lip, trying with all his might to keep himself from finishing in her hand. 

Looking back down at his lap, Ben let out an involuntary whimper. Rey’s hand looked tiny as she moved it along his length, and for some reason it added to the intense pleasure he was feeling. He began to shudder as Rey continued to stroke him, breathing heavily and gripping the side of the bed, knowing he was beginning to lose control. Seeing the state he was in, Rey looked into his eyes with a gentle smile.

“It’s okay, Ben. Let go. I want you to”, she whispered.

Rey curled her free hand around his arm and silenced his sharp breaths with a passionate kiss. 

Hearing Rey’s quiet moan as she kissed him sent him over the edge. He involuntarily thrust up into her hand, curling his arm around her and pulling her body against his. Rey broke the kiss in the middle of his orgasm, looking down at him with wide eyes, watching as he experienced the most intense pleasure he’d felt in his entire life.

His first reaction was to feel shame for what had just happened. He nervously avoided looking Rey in the eye, though he could tell that she was gently trying to meet his gaze. It was when she curled her arm around him and lovingly began placing soft kisses on his shoulder that he finally began to realize that there was no reason to be ashamed. Rey didn’t seem to be upset or embarrassed, so why should he?

Finally, he met her gaze, and saw nothing but pure adoration in her eyes. After a moment, a small smile began to form on her face and she giggled sweetly. He returned the smile and picked up her wrist, examining her hand closely as he let out a small laugh.

“Uh, sorry about the mess”, he chuckled. 

“Was that okay for you?” Rey asked quietly, a slight hint of nervousness in her voice.

“Yes… god yes”, Ben breathed, looking earnestly into her eyes.

“Good”, she replied. “That was quite… intense”, she added, the smirk never leaving her face. “Let me go get something to clean us up”.

He admired her body as she walked to the bathroom, and as she returned with a cloth, she carefully wiped her hand, as well as Ben’s chest. She then reached down to wipe his softening length, a move that was so incredibly intimate that it went beyond sexual pleasure. She then sat back on the bed, scooting herself over so she was lying with her head propped up on the pillow. 

“Come here, Ben”, she said in a soft, husky voice.

He felt the nerves returning as his eyes scanned her body, again roaming over the place between her legs. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of what lay there, but for now she kept her legs firmly together. Ben moved up along the bed so he was lying beside her, and Rey turned onto her side, reaching out to gently push a lock of hair out of his face before drawing him in for another kiss.

This time, the kiss was far less careful. It was messy, passionate, and lustful. It had been mere minutes, but Ben found himself growing hard again. Rey emitted moans and whimpers, eventually pushing him back on the bed as she propped herself up, angling her body so she was still lying beside him, but was now kissing him from above. 

Rey continued by kissing down his cheek; Ben arched his neck as she began to suck on the skin there. He brought one of his hands up and gently placed it on her waist, her skin softer than he ever could’ve imagined. She ran her hands all along his bare chest, and he felt himself getting lost in sensation. Curling his other hand around the back of her head, he stroked her soft hair as she continued to lick and suck on his neck. 

“God, I want you to touch me so badly”, she suddenly breathed into his skin. Ben froze; this was what he had been most nervous about. Rey also froze and looked up, likely a bit startled that she’d caused such a reaction in him. “Only if you want to”, she added, wide-eyed.

Ben nodded frantically, realizing how his reaction may have come off to her. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel as though he wasn’t interested in her body. She was the most beautiful thing in the world to him, he just knew he had trouble expressing that to her. And, though he wanted to give her the same pleasure she’d given him, he had no idea where to even start.

Ben looked up at her, noticing how lovingly and serenely she gazed at him. It was through her expression that he finally found his courage. 

He carefully but firmly guided her onto her back, gently grasping her shoulder as he twisted onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow. He took a deep breath as he began trailing his fingers down her body, his feather-light touch raising goosebumps in its wake. As he ran his fingers over the delicate curves of her breast, she let out a small whimper when he grazed her peaked nipple. He trailed his fingertips further, brushing just past her navel and over her soft belly, then down along her hipbone. He spread his hand out as he reached her thigh, his thumb brushing dangerously close to the spot between her legs, though he refrained from exploring that part of her just yet. He stopped as he reached her knee, sitting himself up and gazing at her. 

He then looked down to the juncture of her thighs, then back up to her eyes, as though silently asking for permission. Rey bit her lip and nodded, and Ben saw her inhale deeply in anticipation. 

Ever so gently, Ben placed his large hands on her thighs, guiding her legs apart. 

He hadn’t known what to expect, but what he saw before him now made him salivate. Her skin there was the same hue of pink as her nipples, and he could see a glistening wetness there, something Hux had told him would happen. Finally, Ben brought his hand down and lightly dragged a finger through her folds, gently exploring her soft skin. He had no idea what he was doing, but the sharp gasp she emitted was enough to encourage him further.

Ben began to stroke her more firmly, feeling his own arousal insistent and heavy between his legs. He spread her legs apart further, settling himself into the space in between so he could have a closer look at her. He found her opening, dipping a finger briefly in and wondering how he would ever fit himself inside of her. He gasped a little at how warm and tight she felt around his finger.

Rey writhed and moaned in a way he’d never heard her before.

“Am I doing this right?” Ben asked, looking up at her. Her expression was one of pure bliss, something he’d only just caught hints of during their previous activities, but now was displayed prominently on her face. 

“Yes”, she moaned, her eyes rolling back into her head. “But”, she added, “if you could put more focus right here”. Rey then reached down and guided his fingers to the small fold of skin above her opening, showing him how to make small, circular motions. 

As he did this, he heard her breathing quicken, and saw her body begin to twist in ecstasy. She clawed at the bedsheets and let out a low moan, and Ben could tell from her jerking movements that she was close to experiencing the same release he had just a few minutes earlier. He found himself pressing her hips down to keep her from writhing out of his grasp. As he looked down at her, he suddenly had the most salacious urge to kiss her between her legs. He’d heard Hux mention something in passing about it, so after a few moments of pondering, he finally decided just to go for it. Dipping his head down, he placed his tongue on her and began swirling it around.

The sound Rey made when he did this took his breath away. She cried out loudly, and he felt her thrust her hips up against his mouth, so he kept his hands against her hipbones to keep her steady. 

As he felt her come down from her high, he felt her body begin to relax, though her chest heaved as if she was out of breath. Ben looked up at her and noticed that she looked just as awestruck as he felt. As her breathing began to slow, she sat herself up and hooked her hands under his arms, silently guiding him on top of her.

“I want to feel you inside me, Ben”, she breathed.

Ben felt his mouth run dry, and his arousal twitched at her words.

“Okay”, he replied with a shudder. Rey dove in to kiss him again.

“Mmmmf, Rey, wait”, Ben said suddenly, breaking the kiss but holding reassuringly onto her arm. Rey looked at him with a bit of concern.

“I don’t want anything to happen… with… you know”, he stammered awkwardly.

“I’m not sure I understand”, she replied.

“I don’t want... you to become pregnant from this”, he finally spat out. 

“Ohhh”, she replied, her eyes widening in understanding. “You know, I’m really glad you brought that up”, she said with a relieved smile. “Paige told me all about doing it with the right timing, but I’m still a little nervous about risking it, you know?”

“Well, my friend told me that if I withdraw right before I’m about to… you know, then it’s a lot safer.” 

“You’re okay with doing that?” Rey asked, seeming as though she was extremely concerned with compromising his experience.

“Of course”, he replied with a kiss. “I don’t want to put you in that position”, he murmured against her mouth. She smiled as she hungrily returned his kiss, opening her mouth and slipping her tongue into his. 

Ben moaned in response as she maneuvered herself underneath him, not breaking their kiss the entire time. 

“God, I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you”, she said with a whimper. Ben could only shudder and moan in response, though he wanted to tell her how much he wanted her in return. 

Ben settled himself in between her legs, the heat from her body radiating up to his. He felt a shiver travel down his spine as his length brushed up against her most intimate area. Using his hand, he guided himself to the right place and with great care, began pushing inside of her.

He tried to remain as slow and gentle as possible, stopping all movement when she winced a little bit.

“Are you okay?” Ben asked, peppering her face with kisses. 

“Yes”, she responded, breathing steadily. “Just keep going slow”.

After a few careful, languid movements, he finally found himself completely seated inside of her. For a few moments, he considered pulling out as he thought he was going to finish quickly again, but he took a few deep breaths and managed to calm himself down. 

“How are you feeling?” Ben asked shyly. 

“It hurt a little at first, but now I just feel… full. You feel amazing”, Rey said with a shaky voice. 

“God Rey, I can’t even put into words how good you feel”, Ben said, burying his face into her neck as he began to gently wiggle his hips. With that, Rey hooked her legs around him, placing her hands on his backside and urging him to begin thrusting his hips against hers. 

Ben sped up his movements, thrusting more urgently into her body. She then wrapped her arms around his back, digging her fingernails into his skin and pulling his body closer to hers. Somehow the small pinpricks of pain added to the sensation, causing him to involuntarily thrust harder as he felt himself careening closer to the edge. Rey let out a particularly loud moan, her body clenching around him, and Ben knew he only had seconds left to go. He quickly withdrew from her and took himself in his hand, settling onto her stomach and burying his face in her neck as he shuddered and whimpered his way through his orgasm. 

As the haze of lust began to clear, Ben felt the moisture between their bodies as well as the heaving of both of their chests. He looked into Rey’s eyes, pressing his forehead to hers before rolling off of her. She grabbed the washcloth and cleaned the mess from their bodies before Ben drew her safely into his arms. Her body felt so tiny against his, but somehow she molded to him just right. 

They spent the next several minutes holding each other, gazing into each others’ eyes and occasionally cracking a smile, as though they were still in complete disbelief at what had just happened.

Ben had never been happier or more sated than he was that night, drifting off to sleep with Rey in his arms.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw The Rise of Skywalker and I have... feelings. This chapter came straight from my emotions. 
> 
> Thanks to [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) for helping with this.

As he came to, it took Ben a few moments to realize where he was and why he felt so pleasantly warm. Upon stretching his legs and shifting slightly in the bed, he realized he didn’t have a scrap of clothing on. It was then that the memories of the previous night came rushing back into his head. As he looked around, Ben reckoned it was still the dead of night, as the only thing that illuminated the room was the faint glow of the streetlamps outside. 

A feeling of bliss washed over him as he realized the source of warmth against one side of his body was an equally nude Rey; though he was still half asleep, he shuddered happily at the thought of the pleasure they’d shared just a few hours before. He smiled a little to himself and noticed that his arm was curled protectively around her, and also that her small hand was resting gently on his chest. Though this was a completely foreign feeling to Ben, it somehow felt natural at the same time. A feeling that was new but also familiar; like he had needed it his whole life, but not realized it until that moment. From the dim light filtering through the window, he could just barely make out Rey’s form as she cuddled on her side against him underneath the blankets. Slowly, while trying not to wake her, he lifted the arm that was curled around her and began carefully stroking her hair with his fingertips. He nuzzled his face lovingly closer to hers and gently removed her hair from the front of her body, letting it fall behind her shoulder and allowing him access to her upper back. Ben sighed as he began ghosting his fingers along her silky smooth skin. His body was so relaxed that he began to feel himself drifting off to sleep again, but his mind tried to fight it, not wanting to miss any part of the moment. He’d never known anything like it before, and he wanted to savor it.

After a few minutes, Rey began to stir. Ben froze, realizing that his movements probably woke her. She let out a soft sigh, and he felt her stretch against him. Ben looked down at her and saw that her eyes were open, the gleam of the outdoor lights creating a sparkle in each eye. Finally looking up at him, she smiled as she spoke.

“Hi”, she said simply, her voice still full of sleep, and her tone quite bashful.

“Hello”, Ben replied, unable to help what was an undoubtedly goofy grin from spreading across his face.

Rey yawned and writhed a little bit as she continued to wake up. She gently began running her fingers gently across Ben’s chest, her movements so natural that it felt as though they’d been doing this exact thing for years. Finally, she propped herself up on her elbow.

“Um, so, how are you feeling?” Rey asked, her tone a bit shy.

“I’m feeling great”, Ben replied immediately with a small chuckle, perhaps amused by his own enthusiasm. Rey looked down, smiling demurely, as though she was trying to hide her excitement. “How are you?” Ben added, tilting his head to try and gauge her reaction a bit better.

Rey nodded before she spoke, the smile never leaving her face.

“Really, really good”, she replied, looking back up at Ben and curling her arm tightly around him. “I--well, I mean, I might go so far as to say that this has been the best night of my life”.

“Really?” Ben asked, trying to mask the intensity in his voice upon hearing her reaction. 

“Yeah”, Rey giggled. “Sorry if that sounds too forward”.

“Of course not”, Ben quickly replied. “It has been for me too”.

“Really? For you, too?” Rey asked, her voice full of wonder and awe. 

“Really”, Ben affirmed, pulling her more tightly against him. Rey laid her head down on his chest, gently stroking his skin with her thumb. He nuzzled his face in her hair and felt her sigh against him. They remained silent for several minutes, Ben enjoying the closeness and warmth that Rey provided. Finally, Rey spoke as she continued to gently caress his chest.

“Ben, what’s your family like?”

Ben sighed. He didn’t really like to talk about his upbringing; it was not something he looked fondly back on. After contemplating for a few moments, he carefully responded.

“Well, my mother comes from a wealthy family, so I was raised in society circles. She’s very independent, for a society woman I mean, and does a lot of work for charities.”

“Wow,” Rey replied, a small smile on her face. She sounded fascinated; evidently not catching Ben’s flat tone.

“Well, it meant she was never really around; she has a habit of immersing herself too hard into her work. She left me by myself a lot of the time when I was young”.

Rey’s face changed, her hand curling tightly around his arm. 

“Oh, Ben, I’m sorry”. Her face was full of sympathy, and she looked as though she felt a lot of sorrow for him.

“I’m better off without her”, he replied, his voice indifferent.

“What about your father?”

“I haven’t seen him in years. He was never really around either. My parents can’t stand each other, so he left home when I was young. He’d come around when he felt like it to take me out sometimes when I was a kid. He’s not like my mother; he doesn’t come from money. I came to realize as I got older that he’s actually quite pathetic.”

“Oh”, Rey replied as she looked pointedly down. Her grip on his arm loosened a bit. Suddenly, Ben realized the insinuation of what he’d just said, and how it must’ve come off to her.

“No no no, that’s not what I meant”, he said, placing his fingers on her chin and tilting her head up to look at him. She had a vulnerability in her eyes that pained him to see. “He makes his money smuggling, and he gambles it all away. That’s why I think he’s pathetic”. 

He felt her relax against him again, and laid her head back down, nuzzling into him a bit.

“Do you miss him?” Rey asked against his chest.

Somewhat startled by the question, Ben paused. How could he miss the man who walked out on his family when he was six years old, only to be seen once every few months? Ben recalled standing on the front steps of their family home as a young child, day after day, waiting for his father to come home. His mother had always come out and scolded him, ordering him back indoors. Looking back, he realized that her stern reaction was likely her way of masking the fact that she was in just as much pain as he, but at the time it was one of the reasons why he began to resent his mother. One of the reasons why he became somewhat withdrawn. And one of the reasons why he was sent off to boarding school. He now knew it had all been for the best. 

As he found himself lost in the memory, he realized his teeth were gritted, and his stomach was tied up in knots.

“No”, he finally responded to Rey’s question. “I don’t miss him”. He wasn’t sure if she could feel him shaking a little bit.

Perhaps he said it to convince himself of that fact, more than anything. He felt tense, partially because he always tried his hardest to stuff down the memories of his past, and also since he wasn’t used to pouring his heart out to anyone. Rey moved her fingers lovingly up and down his stomach, placing a few lazy kisses on his chest. It helped to calm and ground him as he began to regain his composure.

“I always wondered what it’d be like to know my mother and father”, Rey said, her voice soft and soothing. “I always felt so envious seeing families walking around the park together; kids holding their parents’ hands, their parents buying them treats, and looking on as the children ran around and played. Sometimes I still do feel that way. But, I--I guess it isn’t always better on the other side”.

Rey looked up at him, her face somewhat pained. It was this look that caused Ben to feel something that he hadn’t in years - tears pricking at his eyes. Forcing the emotion back, he curled his arm more tightly around her, pulling her in closer. Rey must have sensed how he felt, so she lifted her head to gaze at him; the look in her eyes both gently sympathetic and infinitely loving. Her fingers were so gentle against his face as she reached up and brushed a lock of hair out of his face, cradling his cheek tenderly in her palm. Giving him a small smile, she leaned in to softly kiss him.

They made love again, this time with Rey climbing on top and taking him inside her body as he lay on his back. He held her hips as she moved against him, and he knew that the feelings he had in that moment, as well as the view of her body offered to him in the dim light was something he would keep in his memory for the rest of his life. 

  
  


\----

  
  
  


When he awoke again, the early morning sunlight was shining through the window. As he put his hand up to shield his eyes from the harsh light, he heard footsteps across the room.

“Good morning, sleepyhead”, Rey said cheerfully as she approached the bed and sat down next to Ben. He was disappointed to see that she was now dressed in her work attire - this time a golden corset top with a black skirt - but she was nevertheless the most beautiful sight he could have imagined. 

It felt oddly domestic as she continued dressing in front of him, pulling her stockings over her feet and rolling them up her legs. Ben felt his breath hitch a bit when he saw a flash of her thigh. The same bit of thigh that he’d touched and kissed the night before. He felt himself begin to grow hard again at the sight.

“Did you sleep well?” Rey asked as she stood up, adjusting the black stockings and turning back to look at him.

“I’ve never slept better”, he replied. “Though, someone interrupted me in the middle of the night”, he joked. Rey giggled and sat back down, placing her hands on either side of him and leaning down to kiss him. 

“I’m sorry”, she murmured in between kisses. “I’m just going to have to think of a way to make it up to you”. Ben could feel her smile into the kiss as he felt his body begin to react to her attention.

“Except not right now”, she added, pulling herself off of him. “As much as I  _ really  _ don’t want this to end, I’m about to be late for work”.

Ben pouted a little, but nodded in understanding. He saw Rey pause a bit when he lifted himself out of bed, her eyes hungrily scanning his body, but she eventually managed to tear her gaze away as she continued getting ready. 

“I’ll have a free hour around noon”, she offered. “Do you think you’ll be able to come visit me?” 

“Of course”, Ben replied. Though he was now offered more freedom to come and go at Snoke’s school, he still knew in the back of his mind that his constant mysterious disappearances would certainly raise some suspicions. But he didn’t care. Rey was all that mattered to him now. What could Snoke really do, anyways?

Ben walked Rey to the park gate, but not before Rey pulled him into a side alley, giving him a passionate goodbye kiss. Ben’s heart swelled, and he smiled as he looked into her eyes.

“I love you”, Rey whispered as she held her hands around his cheeks.

“I love you too”, he replied. Ben still felt strange saying those words to another person, but he was also elated at the same time. “I love you so much”, he added softly.

“See you in a few hours”, Rey said before running off.

  
  


\----

  
  


When Ben returned to visit Rey at lunch, her eyes immediately lit up.

“How’s your day?” Ben asked, taking her hand and walking towards the boardwalk in search of something for lunch.

“It’s pure shit, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing can hurt the good mood I’ve been in all day”, she giggled, squeezing Ben’s hand.

The pair enjoyed a lunch of grilled clams with butter on the boardwalk, and spent the rest of their time kissing in a secluded alley. As they walked back to Dreamland Park, Rey noticed a new photographer’s stand on the boardwalk. She looked over at Ben with an eager smile.

“Want to get our picture taken?” Rey asked excitedly.

“Uh, I really don’t like photos of myself”, Ben said, cringing a bit. His mother used to force him to sit for photographs, and whenever he looked at them, his awkward features stood out more than anything; his large nose and protruding ears becoming more prominent than ever.

“Oh, please Ben?” Rey begged with a smile, as if she were a child begging her parents for a treat. “I’d really love to have a picture of you to look at when you’re not here.

Ben considered it for a moment. It would be nice to have a photograph of Rey; he’d have to hide it in his room of course, but he could look at her any time he wanted. 

“Okay”, he finally agreed.

Rey tried to pay the photographer’s fee, but Ben insisted she put her money away, as he knew money was difficult for her to come by. They probably looked funny together; a well dressed young man and a carnival worker, but the photographer didn’t say anything about it as he posed them together. The older man stood them close to each other, guiding Rey to link her arm affectionately with Ben’s. He instructed Rey to place her other hand on her hip, and for Ben to lean his free hand on the ornate chair beside him. Ben smiled to himself as he realized they must have resembled a married couple. It was then the photographer snapped the picture, catching a smiling Ben by surprise.

They walked out of the studio, the sparkles from the flashbulbs still twinkling in Ben’s vision. 

  
  


\----

  
  


Ben visited Rey the next day, too. He longed for a time where they could spend the night together again, but he knew those encounters would be hard to come by, and also that it gave him something to look forward to. But nevertheless, they managed to find a few moments of privacy in various areas of the park where they could kiss, whisper sweet nothings into each others’ ears, and even become a little bit frisky with their hands. 

Rey had gone back to the photographer and picked up their prints a few hours after they’d been taken; one copy for each of them. She excitedly presented Ben with his, a small cardstock print with the photographer’s emblem on the back. Ben gazed down at the sepia colored photograph; his goofy smile being the very first thing he noticed. To his surprise, he noticed that Rey was smiling too; she also had a sparkle in her eyes that exuded pure happiness.

It was the only picture of him that he liked.

  
  


\----

  
  


When Ben returned to the school that day, he quietly opened the front door as not to draw attention to himself, as he had been doing frequently as of late. Usually he didn’t have a problem with sneaking in unnoticed, but this time he wasn’t so lucky. His heart lurched in his chest when he noticed Snoke in the front room, speaking with Canady who was sitting in his usual chair. The conversation halted as soon as Ben stepped into the building.

“Ah, young Solo”, Snoke said in a tone that was friendly, but just overly so that Ben knew it wasn’t genuine, thus filling him with dread. “I’ve noticed you’ve been absent the past few days. I certainly hope you haven’t become… distracted”.

“I uhh, was just visiting my mother”, he quickly lied.

“I see”, Snoke replied coolly. Ben didn’t miss the slight tick in his eyebrow; he realized that even Snoke knew he hated seeing his mother. “I hope you’ve given her my regards”.

“Of course, Sir”, Ben replied, casting his eyes downward in front of his superior. 

“I hope you’ll be  _ fully rested _ for the upcoming work week”, Snoke added, the emphasis on certain words making Ben’s cheeks heat up. Did Snoke know he’d spent the night elsewhere? “I need you to be fully focused, and trust me, my displeasure and its consequences are something you will absolutely wish to avoid”.

“Yes, Sir”, he replied before swiftly turning and leaving. 

Ben climbed the stairs, his body full of anxiety from his encounter with Snoke. Reaching into his pocket, he felt the photograph between his fingers, which calmed him considerably. Ben passed Hux at the landing, a lewd look spreading across the other boy’s face as soon as he saw Ben. Clearly eager to know what had happened with Rey, Hux looked disappointed as Ben just gave him a knowing smile and walked right past him, heading towards his room. As soon as he’d shut the door behind him, he flopped onto his bed. He realized it was Sunday evening, and that he had to be at work in less than twelve hours. Anxiety filled his body at the thought of his job, and he felt his nerves once again begin to overtake him. Breathing shakily, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the photograph, gazing at Rey’s smiling face. He traced it with his fingertip, remembering the wonderful weekend he’d spent with her. He felt himself gathering strength from the picture. Ben knew that work wasn’t going to be easy, but that now, he had something to work hard for.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you liked this chapter! 🙂


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, if TROS has done anything for me, it would be increasing my motivation to write. So I guess that’s something, right? 
> 
> Thanks to the wonderful [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) for helping with this.

Ben spent the next few weeks working hard. His time training out in the field with Peavey mercifully ended, and he was sent back to the office to continue his work with the finance ledgers. 

It wasn’t without its unsettling moments though. Ben watched some of the men coming back to the office throughout the day, knowing full well that what they were washing off their hands was not in fact dirt.

Ben was happy to be back in the office. He was assigned a desk in a room with four other men, and he was quite glad to have his own little space. The majority of his colleagues were less than friendly, but at least they weren’t overtly rude and uncivilized like Peavey and his gang. Ben even gained some praise for his work.

“Well well well, for a new guy with no experience, you’re doing pretty well with these”, said Mr. Pryde, the man who occupied the desk next to him, as he glanced over Ben’s ledgers. Pryde was one of the managers of the office, and though he seemed harsh at times, he also seemed to be the type to respect a job well done. “I expect you’ll keep up the good work here”, he continued. “Anything is better than the last guy we had doing this”, he added, muttering that last part so quietly that Ben wasn’t sure if he was even supposed to hear it. Ben looked around, but the office was empty besides Pryde and himself; his other office mates had all gone out for their lunch break.

“What happened to the last guy, was he fired?” Ben asked innocently, trying to gauge the company’s values. He was fairly certain he didn’t have to worry about ever being sacked, but he also wanted to know how freely and easily Snoke’s company would do such a thing.

“Oh, no”, Pryde said with a bit of a chuckle. “He, uh… passed suddenly. Unfortunate for his six children, but better for the company, I suppose”. He shrugged as he set the ledger book back on Ben’s desk and walked out of the small office, leaving him completely alone.

Ben felt his eyes narrow in confusion at Pryde’s somewhat nonchalant reaction to the man’s death, but it was quickly forgotten when the pen he was writing with ran out of ink. He gently shook the pen a few times, but nothing came out. 

He shuffled through the drawers of his desk, looking for a spare bottle of ink. He hadn’t rifled through the desk much since it had been assigned to him, but in doing so now, he noticed that it hadn’t been cleaned out after the previous occupant had passed away. Inside, he found several crumpled papers, a photograph of what was presumably the deceased man’s family, a few paperclips and paperweights, and a set of two skeleton keys, but unfortunately no ink. Frustrated, Ben looked around to the bookshelves behind Pryde’s desk, standing up and beginning to shuffle through the books and other items as a last ditch effort to try and find some ink before he resorted to bothering a coworker about it. 

He moved a small stack of books aside and stopped short. Embedded in the wall behind the books was what looked like a safe, with a small keyhole in the door. Ben looked back at his desk, curious if the keys he’d found would fit the lock. Taking great care to be as quiet as possible, Ben pulled the keys from his drawer and snuck over to the bookshelf.

The first key he tried didn’t work, but the second fit easily into the lock. As he turned it, he nervously opened the door, knowing that snooping like this could potentially get him in trouble. 

He only caught a quick glimpse of what was inside; a set of five ledger books, the only difference from the ones he worked with being the color; these particular ones were black instead of red. 

Ben didn’t have time to investigate further as he heard footsteps approaching; he silently shut and locked the safe, tucking the keys quietly into his pocket. It was then that he spotted a small bottle of ink at the very end of the bookshelf, and just as he grabbed it, Pryde stepped back into the room.

“What are you doing?” Pryde asked harshly.

“My pen ran out of ink”, Ben responded calmly, whirling around and holding up the bottle in his hand. “I was just looking for more”. He hoped Pryde couldn’t tell how quickly his heart was beating.

“Oh, okay”, Pryde responded, his tone instantly changing. “Do you need a dropper for it? I have one in my desk somewhere”. 

“Sure, that’d be great”, Ben responded as the other man began rifling through his desk for it.

For the rest of the day, Ben couldn’t stop wondering what was in those books.

  
  


\----

  
  


Despite Snoke’s threat, Ben stopped to see Rey most nights after work. Usually they only had time for quick meetings; Rey generally came to meet him at the park gate so he didn’t have to keep paying an admission fee. Most days they’d spend a few moments hidden away underneath the boardwalk, using what little time they had getting lost in each other. Some days they just kissed, other days they felt more daring, sliding hands underneath clothing and working one another to completion. One time, when they’d been particularly unable to resist each other, Ben had pressed her mostly clothed body back against one of the large, smooth boulders that lined the underside of the boardwalk and took her right there, burying his face in her neck to stifle his strained moans as he thrust into her body. His pleasure was only amplified hearing the breathy sounds that came out of Rey, shuddering as she plunged her fingers into his hair and tugging on it. He knew exactly when she reached her peak, not only from the way her body convulsed around him, but also by the way she pulled his hair hard while simultaneously clinging to him. Moments later, Ben had pulled out of her, taking himself in his hand and groaning as his spend coated the sand next to them.

There was something exciting and dangerous about their outdoor encounters, and while Ben wished he had the time and privacy to ravish Rey properly, he did quite enjoy their stolen moments spent under the boardwalk. 

They always spent the time after they’d finished coming down from their post orgasm haze together; Ben knew the whole experience would’ve felt incomplete otherwise. They always sat themselves down in the sand against the boulder, tucked away in an isolated corner under the boardwalk where no one would happen upon them. Ben would take Rey in his arms, savoring the feeling of her weight against him, the softness of her bare arms against his fingertips, and the sweet smell of her hair as he nuzzled into her. Sometimes they’d spend these moments gazing into each others’ eyes, each occasionally cracking a smile, and Rey often breaking into a giggle. 

Some days, they sat in sated silence, and other times, they’d talk. Usually Rey would chat about her day, going on about any notable customers, things her coworkers said, and of course updating him on Annabelle’s progress. Ben was happy to listen to her chatter, as the mere sound of her voice was incredibly calming and soothing. He decided that it was something he could - and wanted to - fall asleep to every night. He always listened intently, as everything she spoke about was wonderfully interesting, merely because it was coming from her.

Sometimes, she’d ask Ben about his job. She seemed genuinely curious about his work, though he tried to divulge as little as possible. The mere thought of his job and everything associated with it caused him to feel stressed, and he didn’t want to have to think about it any more than necessary. 

“Tell me about your day”, Rey said one evening as he gently stroked her hair. Her head was resting against his chest, and her thumb was idly caressing the skin of his free hand, a motion that was both familiar and reassuring. 

“It was fine”, Ben replied, somewhat dismissively. He was much happier just listening to her speak, and hoped she’d drop the subject. Unfortunately, she didn’t.

“And what else?” Rey asked. Clearly, she wasn’t going to give up so easily.

“Uh, I don’t know. Nothing interesting happened”, he said. Rey sat up and met his gaze, her expression both pleading and encouraging.

“Ben, you know almost everything about my job, and my life. I’d really love to know more about yours”. 

_ You don’t, though _ , Ben thought, knowing full well that if she knew the true nature of his job, she wouldn’t be quite so enthusiastic.

“Well”, he started, trying to remain as vague as possible. “I work for the headmaster at the school I’ve gone to since I was a kid. I wasn’t supposed to start an internship there until next year, but they had an unexpected opening for a position doing their books. The man that used to hold the position died suddenly. So, now I work with expense ledgers all day”.

“Do you like what you do?” Rey asked earnestly, her eyes lighting up as she gained some morsels of insight into his life.

Ben hesitated for a moment, which he hoped that Rey hadn’t caught.

“My boss is a good man, and it’s a very successful company”, he replied as he nodded a bit, perhaps trying to convince himself more than her. He didn’t miss the way her eyes narrowed slightly, but then her face broke out into a satisfied smile. 

“I’m glad”, she replied. “I think you should enjoy and be passionate about your work. Otherwise, what’s the point of being miserable all the time?”

Ben didn’t respond as Rey turned back around and leaned into him again; instead he continued running his hands through her hair, the softness of the long strands soothing him as he raked his fingers through it.

A sudden unwelcome thought ran through his head and he froze momentarily as a sense of foreboding overtook him. The man whose position Ben inherited had died suddenly. He hadn’t given it much thought when Mr. Pryde had casually mentioned it, but now, letting it sink into his head a bit more, he realized the implications were far more ominous. An image flashed through his mind of the gruff men who worked with Peavey with dried blood all over their hands. 

Could it be?

_ No _ , he told himself. Snoke was a good man; or at least, he’d put so much time and effort into raising and training Ben, taking on the dual role of both parent and teacher. Ben took comfort in that thought; no one at the company would touch him, and Snoke would see to it. He just needed to remain disciplined and work hard to appease his headmaster.

He began to relax again, helped by the fact that Rey seemed to sense his tension. She silently brought his hand up to her lips and began sweetly kissing his palm, while still caressing the back of it with her thumb. 

  
  


\----

  
  


After visiting with Rey each night, Ben returned home, had dinner, and retired to his bedroom. Sometimes he’d try to read, but usually he found himself unable to concentrate, as his thoughts would always drift back to Rey. 

He kept the photograph under his pillow, and gazed at it often. Some nights he’d stare dreamily at her face, finding comfort in the photo, and other nights, he felt such an insatiable lust towards her, he couldn’t help but taking care of things himself in his room. Though his carnal needs were being well met by Rey, he felt as though she’d unlocked a new potential for desire in him, and he found himself frequently aroused when he was alone at night. He always felt guilty afterwards, but it also felt instinctive; like something he shouldn’t have to hold back. So he didn’t.

One night as Ben was falling asleep with the photo in his hand, a knock sounded at his door. Before he had a chance to respond, the door opened, and Hux walked into the room. Though he was thankful to be fully clothed at the time, he was also annoyed with Hux for intruding on his privacy.

“Can you please not barge into my room next time?” Ben hissed at Hux. Rolling his eyes, Hux smirked at Ben, stopping short as he caught a glimpse of the photograph in his hand. Ben felt his cheeks heat up, angry with himself for not hiding it when he’d heard the knock on the door. 

“What have you got there?” Hux asked teasingly, as he snatched the photo out of Ben’s hand. 

“Hey, give it back”, Ben cried, leaping off his bed and trying to grab the picture. But, his efforts were futile as a sly grin spread across his classmate’s face. 

“Is this  _ the girl _ ? The reason why you were asking me all those questions?” Ben finally gave up his chase, rolling eyes and crossing his arms in a display of exasperation. He watched as Hux studied the photo closer, suddenly feeling a little bit smug as his friend’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“Wow, Solo, you’ve got a beautiful one here. I’m impressed”. 

Ben chuckled a bit, reveling a bit in Hux’s jealousy. 

“She looks like an excellent lay; how much did you pay for her?” Hux asked, a question that Ben found both completely vile and entirely in character for his friend. 

“I didn’t pay for anything. Don’t you dare talk about her like that”, Ben snapped. 

“Really? You got to have her for free? I never would’ve thought a girl who looks like like  _ her  _ would go for a guy like  _ you _ ”. Hux glanced up at Ben with a salacious grin. “So how was it?”

“No. Give it back”, Ben replied, refusing to answer Hux’s question and grabbing the photo out of his hand.

“Wait, no, can I see that again?” Hux asked, holding his hand out with narrowed eyes. Ben rolled his eyes; he wasn’t falling for the ruse. “No, I’m serious”, Hux persisted. “She looks familiar”. 

Ben reluctantly handed the picture back over, an eager Hux grabbing it and studying it more seriously this time.

“Wait, is that… is that the girl from Coney Island you were making eyes at? I remember her! You looked like a lovesick puppy. I can’t believe you managed to get a girl like that. I’m impressed, Solo!”

“Thanks, Hux”, Ben replied, rolling his eyes again and taking the photo back. “Now why did you come into my room?”

“I just wanted my book back”, he replied with a shrug. 

“Oh, right”, Ben replied, grabbing the book he’d borrowed from his friend a few weeks earlier and handing it to him. “Now get out of my room”.

  
  


——

  
  


After work the next day, Ben jogged over to the park. It was raining cats and dogs, so Ben huddled under the safety of his umbrella. He hoped Rey didn’t have to stand outside in this weather. 

She wasn’t waiting for him outside the gate, which seemed a bit odd, but Ben figured she’d either gotten held up at work, or she didn’t want to wait in the rain. He had a feeling it was the former.

Paying the small admission fee, Ben headed over to the sideshows. The rain was pelting down, the sound of it against the umbrella nearly deafening. As he jogged along the row of tiny buildings, he saw no one, save for the occasional park guest, running presumably in search of shelter. 

He reached the building Rey worked at, climbing up the steps and peering inside. He gently pushed the curtain aside, peering behind it as he knocked on the door frame as not to be intrusive.

“Hey we’re closed until the storm passes”, Finn said, standing up and walking over to the door. In the darkened room, Ben could see Poe and BB, as well as a couple metal buckets on the floor, catching the drips of rain that were falling through the leaky ceiling. 

“Oh, hi Ben”, Finn said as soon as he recognized who he was. Ben gave a tight lipped smile and waved cordially to the three men. “Uh, Rey’s over with the babies right now”, Finn continued. 

“Thanks Finn, I’ll go see her there”, Ben responded as he turned to leave. 

“Oh, and Ben,” Finn called out to him. Ben turned around and walked back towards Finn. “I, uh, just want to warn you. She’s having a really rough day”. 

“What do you mean?” Ben asked. 

“I’ll let her tell you. But, just be gentle with her. She really needs you right now”.

Ben nodded solemnly in understanding, anxiety beginning to rise in his stomach. 

As he sprinted to the baby building, the possibilities of what could have happened shot through his head. Fortunately he reached his destination before his mind was able to wander too far.

Ben tried opening the door, but upon realizing it was locked, began to knock frantically. After a few moments, he heard the lock turn, and it opened a crack. Maz has a suspicious look on her face at first, but once she realized it was just Ben, her face softened and she opened the door and allowed him inside. 

“I’m glad you’re here”, Maz said, placing her hand endearingly on Ben’s arm, and gesturing towards the back room. Ben bounded back towards it, and as he entered, he found Rey, sitting on the sofa, holding baby Annabelle. Ben breathed a sigh of relief to see Rey in one piece, though his concern spiked again when she looked up at him and he saw her tear stained face and red eyes.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Ben asked, rushing over to her and sitting down, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. A fresh wave of tears overtook Rey upon hearing him speak, and she placed her head on his shoulder and began to weep. He wasn’t exactly sure how to comfort her, but he tried his best, burying a hand in her hair and placing gentle kisses on the top of her head.

“It’s okay”, he said soothingly, stroking her hair. Sobs began to wrack her body, and Ben placed a supportive arm under hers to help support the tiny life in her arms. 

“Is Annabelle okay?” Ben asked, suddenly noticing the desperation in her grip as she held the baby. Rey nodded tearfully. 

“She’s being adopted”, Rey finally choked out. Ben’s heart sank; he now understood why Rey was so devastated. 

“Oh, Rey. I’m so sorry”, Ben said sadly. 

“I knew this would happen eventually”, Rey wailed. “I just wasn’t ready for her to go so soon”. 

“When?” Ben asked. 

“Next week”, she replied, cradling the baby to her chest. Annabelle was sleeping soundly, blissfully unaware of what was going on around her. “She’s going to a young couple who can’t have children. They’re just lovely”, she said tearfully.

“Well, that’s good”, Ben offered gently, keeping his fingers wound through her hair. Rey nodded against him.

“They’re very well off, and she’ll have a good life”. She paused for a moment before continuing. “It was so stupid of me to dream about keeping her. The last thing I’d ever want for her is to grow up in a place like this”. 

With that, she began to cry again. Annabelle began to stir, and he felt Rey’s demeanor immediately change as her instincts kicked in and she began to soothe the baby. 

“There there”, Rey whispered through her tears as she rocked Annabelle ever so gently. Ben could see that Rey craved the opportunity to pacify her, as she wouldn’t be able to do so for much longer. She watched Annabelle intently with nothing but pure adoration in her eyes as she drifted off to sleep, soothed by Rey’s rocking. Rey’s eyes filled with tears again and her face contorted, trying to stifle the sobs that threatened to re-emerge. 

“Shhhhh”, Ben said soothingly, rocking her a bit while she in turn continued to rock the baby. “Deep breaths”, he whispered, as he felt Rey begin to relax against him. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Ben feeling much more emotion than he let on. He knew how much Annabelle meant to her, not only because she’d helped nurse the baby back to health, but also because she saw some of herself in the child. She’d found someone just like her, a little girl who was unloved and abandoned by her family. But unlike Rey, this child was being given the opportunity for a better life; something Rey had never been offered. He knew her tears weren’t just for Annabelle, but for herself as well. 

Ben was suddenly overcome with the urge to care for Rey. He looked down at her, trying her hardest to keep her emotions under control for the sake of the tiny baby in her arms. He almost felt like the three of them were a little family, huddled together on the couch, and that perhaps Annabelle was their own baby. Though he knew anything like that was at least a few years off, he felt an unfamiliar sense of longing begin to creep up on him. 

It was at that moment that he knew he loved Rey unconditionally.

“We could have one of our own someday”, Ben heard himself suddenly blurt out. Rey’s eyes shot up to his, wide as saucers. “If you want, I mean”, he added, his cheeks heating up. Rey nodded slightly, her mouth open in surprise, and Ben heard himself continue, as if the words were coming out without his permission. 

“We could get married and have a nice house. It’ll be just like the couple adopting Annabelle”, he said softly. Rey turned back to look longingly at the baby, resting her head against Ben’s chest again. “Except it will be us”.

He began to stroke her hair as he continued, gaining confidence with each word.

“We could have a big family if you wanted; we could have our own children or we could adopt them. Or both. Either way, I know you’re going to be the  _ best _ mother someday. Just like you have been to Annabelle”.

Rey looked up at him, her eyes filled with a different sort of tears now. A hopeful smile had also bloomed on her face.

“Y—you’d want that?” Rey asked.

Ben nodded, feeling tears threaten his own eyes. 

“I want to take you away from all this”. 

  
  


——

  
  


Ben stayed with Rey until she’d begun to fall asleep against him. He’d offered to walk her home, but she’d declined, opting to remain with Annabelle for the night. He’d tucked her in on the couch as Maz took Annabelle from her arms to place her in a small crib next to Rey, and then he gave her a loving kiss goodbye. 

“Thank you”, she’d said to him, and he knew she meant it from the bottom of her heart.

Ben prayed that Snoke hadn’t noticed him come home later than normal. Fortunately the house was quiet as he entered, so he snuck up to his room, thankful that no one had seen him. He turned on the lamp next to his bed and felt under his pillow for the photo of Rey. His heart was so full, and he wanted to fall asleep looking at her. 

His hand scoured the underside of the pillow, but felt nothing. He lifted it up, looking around, but the picture was nowhere to be found. He replayed the events of the morning in his head; he distinctly remembered placing it gingerly down under his pillow. 

There was no doubt in his mind as he began to panic. Someone had stolen it from his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All aboard the drama train... Here it comes!
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this story! 
> 
> If you enjoy historical AU’s, check out my other one that takes place in the 1960’s, [We Are Stardust, We Are Golden](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17673680/chapters/41685032)
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) for constantly letting me bounce ideas for this story around. This wouldn’t be what it is without her!

“Hux!!!” 

Ben bounded down the hallway to his classmate’s room, not caring who heard him. He saw nothing but red in that moment; he was livid that Hux had gone into his room and stolen the photo of Rey.

“Give it back”, Ben demanded as soon as he’d burst into Hux’s room. Hux has been sitting at his desk studying, but now his eyes were wide in shocked confusion. As soon as he saw Ben lunge toward him, he stood up from his chair and backed his body against the wall, throwing his hands up in a pathetic surrender. 

“Give what back?!” Hux squeaked out in a voice that was almost comically high pitched. He cowered at the sight of Ben’s rage, a gesture that only angered Ben further. 

“Give the fucking photo back, Hux”, he hissed angrily. 

“Photo? What photo?” Hux cried, his face a mixture of both consternation and fear. 

“You fucking know what photo”, Ben demanded. “It’s gone, I want it back.

A sickly feeling began creeping up in Ben as he noticed that Hux’s reaction seemed genuine. Was he  _ that  _ good of an actor? Or could it be that he was telling the truth? Ben towered menacingly over the other boy, though they both know he was too afraid to act on any frustration. Hux’s expression slowly changed from perplexed and shocked to aloof and annoyed. 

“I promise you”, Hux spat, his voice growing lower and calmer, “That I don’t have your fucking picture. Now get out of here and go bother someone else”.

“I’m not giving up this easily”, Ben said, a threat that he fully intended on acting on at a later time. He wanted to tear apart Hux’s room looking for the picture. It made Ben sick that Hux had a photo of Rey, and he tried to push out of his mind the thoughts of what Hux was probably doing with it.

  
  
  


\----

  
  
  


“Uh, Sir, could I speak with you?” Ben asked, knocking on his mentor’s office door. Snoke frequently remained in his office past 8pm, and Ben wondered if he ever took time to himself. Between running the school and his businesses, it seemed as though he was constantly working. 

“Young Solo”, Snoke greeted him with an eerie smile, gesturing for Ben to enter the room. At night, the space looked even more ominous; the shadowy darkness creating a frightening ambience in the already creepy room. “Please, boy, have a seat”. 

Ben felt a chill run down his spine as he sat himself down on the freezing leather chair. 

“I’ve heard good things from Pryde regarding your work with the books this past week. Well done. He says that you’re catching on very quickly.”

“Thank you, Sir”, Ben replied, the compliment calming his nerves a bit. He sat in silence for a few moments, trying to formulate what he wanted to say. Before he had a chance to, Snoke intervened. 

“I sense unease in you, boy. Surely the finance ledgers aren’t too stressful for you? You need to toughen up if you plan on being successful here.”

“I--it’s not that, Sir”, Ben replied apprehensively. “I, uh, wanted to talk to you about some things I saw at work. When I was training with Peavey and his men”.

“Ahhh, interesting work, isn’t it?” Snoke replied, an odd smile crossing his face as he folded his twisted fingers together on the desk. 

“Yes, Sir, it’s quite interesting. I’ve learned a lot”, Ben hesitated before continuing. “What I mean to say is, I’m not sure if you’re aware of some of the things that go on there. I witnessed some things that troubled me”. 

“Troubled you?” Snoke looked at Ben, his wrinkled face contorting in surprise, though Ben had a hunch that his shock may not have been genuine. He hoped he was wrong.

“I saw them… beating men up. I heard their screams. I thought you should know”, Ben spat out awkwardly, bowing his head in submission.

He didn’t hear any response from Snoke at first, so he lifted his head back up to gauge his headmaster’s reaction. To his surprise, Snoke had a slight smirk on his face, the shadows from the dim electric lights illuminating his face in all the wrong ways, accentuating his grotesque features.

“Oh, my boy. You still have much to learn about the world of business”, Snoke chuckled. “Who do you think issued the orders for them to do such things?” He gave Ben an icy grin.

Ben suddenly felt sick as Snoke’s chilling words echoed over and over in his head, the meaning of them sinking into his bones. 

_ Who do you think issued the orders? _

“Everything we do, my boy, is for the good of the business. Do you even realize what those men had done?”

Ben shook his head demurely, his eyes wide as a child’s.

“Trust me when I say, they got what they deserved. There are a lot of weak, dishonest people in this world, and we need to be the ones to hold them accountable. There is a waning sense of decency in the business world, and so we must do what we can to preserve what’s left. As long as you stay with me, young Solo, I will guide you in the right direction”.

“Yes, Sir”, Ben replied. Though he submissively accepted Snoke’s words, he couldn’t help but feel shaken by them. Nothing those men could have done, he knew, warranted punishment like that. 

However, Snoke had never steered him wrong in the past, and Ben knew that his headmaster only had his best interests in mind.

“Thank you very much, Sir”, Ben said before leaving to retire to his room. “I look forward to growing in the company, with your guidance”.

He retreated to his bedroom, feeling a bit more resolved, however he still had an unsettling feeling nipping at the back of his mind.

To try and alleviate his anxiety, he tore his room apart trying to find the photograph of himself and Rey. If Hux hadn’t taken it, it  _ had _ to be around somewhere. 

As he searched the floor near his bed, he began to realize that the picture had most likely fallen from underneath his pillow as he slept, and slipped beneath the floorboards. After scouring for any loose panels in the floor, he sighed as he realized there was no use. He sat back on his bed and frowned, mourning the loss of the photo, and wondered if he could perhaps obtain another copy from the photographer. 

Ben fell asleep every night with thoughts of Rey in his mind; they were something that always comforted and soothed him. However, on this particular night, stressful thoughts about work were persistent in their attempt to take over his brain, though he tried his hardest to push them out. He finally fell into a fitful slumber, bizarre and frightening dreams plaguing his sleep.

  
  


\----

  
  


Ben was groggy as he walked into work the next day, wanting nothing more than to climb into a soft, warm bed with Rey by his side and sleep the day away. 

He was snapped out of his daydream by Mr. Pryde, who sauntered into the office a few moments after Ben, a briefcase in his hand.

“I’ll be heading to an all-day meeting in a few minutes, but I just stopped by to give you this list of things to do. I’m going to need you to get some extra work done for me today”. Ben groaned internally as Pryde handed him a list that was far longer than he would’ve liked. Pryde then grabbed his briefcase, stuffed a few papers into it, and ran out the door, leaving a still sleepy Ben by himself.

A few hours passed, and Ben was able to get a large chunk of Pryde’s work done. Right around noon, he found himself standing at the bookcase, seeking some reference books. As he pulled the book he was looking for, he paused for a second, catching a glimpse of the safe in the wall. He looked around himself, despite being fully aware that he was completely alone, before turning back and studying the safe more closely. He brushed his fingertips along the metal keyhole, remembering the set of keys in Pryde’s desk. Looking over at the empty desk, he contemplated in his head what he wanted to do. 

Something nagged at him to open the safe and peek at the books hidden inside. 

Ben’s fingers trembled a bit as he quietly removed the set of keys from Pryde’s desk and snuck back over to the safe. Looking around himself once again, Ben carefully inserted the key into the lock, just as he had a few weeks before.

The safe door squeaked a bit as it opened, forcing Ben to be very ginger in his movements. Like the previous time, he spotted the five black books stacked neatly inside. He had an innate sense of fear; somehow he knew what he was looking at was very much forbidden and not intended for his eyes. Pulling one of the books out, he shut the safe door and snuck back over to his desk.

When he opened the first book, he saw that they were finance ledgers, set up exactly like the ones he worked on every day. The records went back a couple of months, so he flipped forward until he found the most recent transactions. 

His face began to heat up as he realized what this was.

It was a ledger, with a list of names and addresses that had rather large sums of money next to them. Some of the lines had the words “PAID IN FULL” next to the names, and all the others… they were crossed out. Ben scrunched his face up in confusion. How come the names that weren’t paid in full were crossed out? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

A feeling of dread began to seep into his brain as he contemplated what this could mean. One of the crossed out entries was from just a few weeks ago. Ben remembered the date as the Monday he’d started training with Peavey. The first time he’d been taken to the salt marsh. 

His heart began to race when he realized that every crossed out entry lined up with days he’d been brought to the salt marsh, days when they’d dumped mysterious bundles into the water. Ben tapped his foot nervously as he thumbed through the pages. The screams of the men in the warehouses began to echo in his mind. Curiously, there was one entry at the end of the ledger, by the name of Unkar Plutt, that neither had a “PAID IN FULL” stamp, or a cross through the name. He wondered if this Unkar Plutt fellow knew what would be happening to him if he didn’t pay off his debt.

As Ben replaced the books before locking the safe back up, he caught a glimpse of something shiny positioned behind the stack of books. Moving the entire stack to the side, Ben’s eyes widened when he realized what it was. 

A pistol.

He quickly shut the safe and locked it back up, his heart racing from the things he’d just discovered. What kind of company was he working for? Had he really become mixed up in some kind of illegal business? Ben sat back down at his desk, his anxiety causing him to clench his fists in rhythmic motions. He couldn’t help but hear Snoke’s words echoing in his head again. 

_ As long as you stay with me, I will guide you in the right direction. _

Ben sat at his desk for the rest of the day, accomplishing much less work than he had in the morning. Ben found himself plagued with racing thoughts, finding it difficult to breathe, as though there was some unseen force piling heavy bricks onto his chest. By the time Pryde strolled back into the office, Ben felt as though he might burst. He did his best to act calm as he outlined to his superior the work he’d accomplished that day before bolting out of the office. He was anxious, uneasy, and quite wound up, and he knew that there was only one thing that would soothe him.

Rey.

The day was cool, grey and windy; the dark clouds swirling menacingly in the sky mirroring Ben’s feelings. He turned his head to make sure no cars or carriages were coming down the road before he crossed, the cold wind nipping at his face. He was trying to rush, and the fact that his legs were moving faster than his sight caused him to smack right into a woman in the road. 

“I’m so sorry”, he said, turning his head around to look at her as he instinctively reached his hands out to steady her. When he finally got a glimpse of the woman’s face, however, he immediately felt his stomach drop out from under him.

“M--mother?”

“Hello Benjamin”, he heard his mother’s calm, even voice say.

“What are you doing here?” His voice sounded unnaturally high-pitched.

“It’s been months since we’ve spoken”, Leia said. “I’ve been trying to contact you at the school, but all my letters have gone unanswered. And every time I tried to visit you at the school, you weren’t there. So, I decided to come find you here”.

Leia held herself confidently as usual, but Ben could detect a hint of sadness in the way she was speaking. 

“Benjamin, is something wrong?” Leia added, perhaps sensing his unease and urgency.

“Uh, mother, right now just isn’t a good time”, Ben ground out, the stress from his job and now his mother becoming too much to handle. He needed to get to Rey. He saw Leia sigh heavily.

“It’s  _ never _ a good time for you, Benjamin. I… I know I we haven’t had the closest relationship, but I do so wish we could change that. My boy, I miss you”, Leia added, cupping Ben’s cheek with her small hand.

Those words struck him. 

_ My boy _ .

They were the same words that Snoke had uttered to him, but somehow they held such a different meaning when they came from his mother. While Snoke said them with a tone dripping with sickly sweetness, Leia’s words held an air that was comforting and genuine. Ben stuffed down the urge to fall into his mother’s arms like a child, letting her comfort all of his worries away. 

_ Stop _ , he told himself.  _ She was never there for you in the past. Snoke is your parent now. _

Somehow, though, it just wasn’t the same.

“I’m sorry, mother, I need to go”, Ben finally uttered, breaking out of his mother’s grasp and scurrying away without looking back. Instead of comforting him, seeing his mother only added to his level of stress. And running away from her made him feel unexpectedly worse.

  
  


\----

  
  


“Ben!” Rey squealed excitedly, allowing herself to be scooped up into a very eager Ben’s arms. 

“I missed you so much”, Ben whined into her ear, clutching her tightly as he spun her around.

“I missed you too”, she giggled, clearly surprised at his intensity. He pulled back to look at her, allowing her gaze to soothe him. At first, she grinned at him, but then she began to see through the cracks and her face fell into a worried expression. “Ben, is anything wrong?”

“No, no, nothing’s wrong”, he assured her, scooping her close to his body again. “I just needed to see you”. He buried his face in her neck, breathing her in. When he pulled back again, he felt a lot calmer, a gentle smile taking over his face. “Let’s go somewhere where we can be alone”, he whispered.

As soon as they reached their spot underneath the boardwalk, Ben was eagerly kissing Rey. He couldn’t get enough of her; her lips, the feeling of her soft skin under his fingers, and her warm body pressed against his. His kisses were not gentle; his pent up stress and energy manifested heavily in his movements.

“My goodness, someone’s needy today”, Rey said with a giggle between kisses. 

“Is this okay?” Ben hummed, smiling into their kiss as his hand snuck beneath her skirt, stroking his fingers along her upper thigh. 

“Mmmmm yes, it’s very much okay”, Rey replied, returning his fervor and palming him through his pants, smirking when she realized how hard he was already. Ben in turn hiked Rey’s skirt up, pulling her tights roughly down and shoving her underwear to the side. 

“Please”, Rey rasped, her gaze lustful and wanting. She gasped as he pressed her against a a wall and entered her with one stroke, setting a fast pace right from the start. 

“Oh, Ben”, she panted between thrusts, clearly enjoying his intensity. She felt so good, so comforting, and he couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with feelings for her. 

“Ben”, she breathed again, as Ben grunted with every thrust. He was gone for her, lost in the sensations he was feeling, forgetting all of his stress.

“Ben”, she said more loudly, her hand tightening against his arm. He drew her closer.

“Ben, honey, please stop for just a second”, she finally said in a tone that brought him back to earth. Bewildered, he halted his movements, drawing back to look at her with wide eyes as he panted. He felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of his face. 

As she looked at him, a look of overwhelming concern took over her face.

“Please tell me what’s wrong”, she said, her hand coming up to his cheek, her thumb lovingly stroking his skin. Worry poured from her eyes. 

“N--nothing’s wrong; I’m fine”, Ben stammered in a futile attempt to hide his stress. But Rey knew better than to believe what he said.

“You’re not fine, I can see it in your face, and I can feel all the tension in your body”, Rey replied sadly, her gentle touch suddenly soothing Ben far more than the sex had. “I’m worried about you. Tell me what’s wrong”, she repeated. 

Ben sighed, suddenly realized that he was exhausted from holding all his stress in. He withdrew from her body and placed her down in the sand, tucking himself back into his pants and sitting down with her.

“Come here”, she said, taking him in her arms and cradling his head against her chest. He felt her kiss the top of his head, and he had an overwhelming urge to break down crying.

He needed to tell her, to let out everything that was bothering him. 

“I--it’s my job”, he ground out suddenly, his voice shaky and wavering. 

“I figured it might be something like that”, Rey said softly, stroking Ben’s hair. “No matter what happens there, Ben, it’s just a job. It doesn’t define you. Once you leave for the day, it’s best to try and forget all the stresses that you feel while you’re there. That’s what I try to do”.

_ It’s just a job _ .

Was it, though? He’d been working towards this, training for most of childhood. As he thought about Rey’s words, he began to realize that what he was involved with was far more than a job. 

It was for that reason he decided that he needed to protect her from the truth. 

“I just had a hard day”, he said finally. “My supervisor piled so much work on me, and I had trouble keeping up with it”.

It wasn’t exactly a lie.

“Oh, honey”, Rey replied softly, continuing to run her fingers through his hair. Ben unexpectedly enjoyed the tender terms of endearment she was using, finding comfort in them, and also in her soothing voice. 

“And then my mother showed up and I— I just kind of brushed her off and came here”.

Rey seemed to sense the pain in his voice when he mentioned Leia, for she clutched him closer to her chest. 

“Do you miss her?” Rey asked gently.

After a moment of contemplation, Ben nodded against her. Rey continued to rock him back and forth.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen her. I just… she looked so much older and more frail than I remember”, Ben confessed. “And I keep thinking that maybe… maybe she wasn’t as bad a mother as I remember. Maybe she had reasons for being the way she was”.

“I don’t think anyone is perfect, and I imagine that even the best parents make mistakes”, Rey replied gently. “Maybe you should visit her. Give her a chance. Perhaps start over. You have a mother who loves you, and that’s worth something”. 

Rey held Ben for another hour, her voice slowly melting away his layers of stress. As was becoming the norm, they then shared a meal before Ben headed home. They’d discussed Ben visiting his mother during the upcoming weekend, and while he was nervous about it, he knew it would ultimately be a positive thing. He wished more than anything that he could bring Rey, both to help keep him calm and also to introduce his mother to the woman he loved, but he knew he couldn’t for now; he didn’t know how she’d react, and he didn’t want to further add strain on their relationship right now. 

Ben pushed his way through work the next day, focusing on the tasks he’d been assigned and trying not to think about anything else. He attempted to focus his attention away from his coworkers, instead keeping to himself, and also repeating in his head over and over that it was Friday. He had two whole days away from this place, and that thought comforted him greatly.

Nevertheless, the stress crept in at a few points throughout the day, and when it did happen, Ben would close his eyes and focus on keeping his breathing even, remembering how Rey had soothed and comforted him.

The workday passed slowly, but Ben was relieved when it was over, sauntering out and walking briskly towards the boardwalk. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and he couldn’t wait to treat Rey to a nice dinner on the beach.

As he approached her cabin, he saw she was standing at her usual post, her trademark sunny smile plastered across her face as she tended to a customer. The older man seemed to linger there longer than normal, and Ben rolled his eyes. Being a beautiful girl who was required to dress the way she did, Rey was frequently subjected to unwanted attention from men. However, he trusted her completely and knew that she could handle herself in such situations. Nevertheless, there were a couple of instances where he’d scared some of these men away; they’d backed right off once they realized that Rey had a particularly protective suitor who was twice their size. Ben had found great satisfaction in those moments.

As he approached the building to wait for her, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. 

He recognized the man talking to Rey.

It was the same man who had brought him around to different warehouses a few weeks prior, making Ben wait outside as he listened to gruesome screams.

The man who had taken him to the salt marsh, his laugh echoing across the water as his subordinates had thrown the weighted burlap sacks into the water.

_ Peavey. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😱
> 
> Please let me know what you thought of this!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything catches up to Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter! It was a lot of fun to write.
> 
> As always, thank you to my friend [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) for helping with plot, encouraging me, and reading this over. Check out her work, she's amazing!

Ben saw his vision momentarily white out as he saw Peavey talking to Rey. Throwing himself into the alleyway between two cabins, he peeked out from behind the building to watch her as she interacted with his colleague just a few houses down. A million thoughts shot through his mind in a single moment. What was Peavey doing here? Was he just a park visitor?  _ No _ , it was too much of a coincidence. What did he want with her? How did he find her? What danger had Ben put her in?  _ Why? _

Darker thoughts began to flash through his consciousness, accompanied by frenzied feelings of confusion and panic. Was it possible that Rey knew Peavey? Could it be that she was somehow involved in with the sinister things that he did?  _ No _ , he thought. He knew Rey; he knew her straight down to her soul. He realized that her body language affirmed that she very obviously didn’t know the man she was speaking with. She appeared friendly but standoffish, the only difference from her usual demeanor being that she had her arms crossed somewhat protectively across her chest. 

Ben watched the exchange like a hawk, ready to jump out and defend Rey at the first sign of trouble. Though he couldn’t discern Peavey’s demeanor since his back was turned to Ben, he gleaned from Rey’s sunny smile and polite giggles that the man hadn’t approached her with any amount of hostility. Still, Ben could feel his heartbeat thunder throughout his entire body as he kept his eyes fixed on the pair.

After what seemed like hours, but realistically was probably only a few minutes, he watched Peavey bid goodbye to Rey, turning and walking back down the walkway. Ben bolted down the alley and behind the building to avoid being seen, and after determining that the coast was clear, he raced over to Rey.

“Hey”, she greeted him with a smile as she spotted him. After a few seconds her demeanor changed, as she must have realized how panicked his expression looked. 

“A--are you ok? Did he hurt you?” Ben stammered, grabbing protectively onto her arms. Rey appeared baffled.

“Ben, what are you talking about? I’m just fine”, she replied, placing her own hands onto his arms as if to steady him.

“Are you sure? What did he want?” Ben asked, his voice coming out high pitched and shaky.

“He, uh, was just asking me about myself”, Rey replied with a shrug. “How long I’ve worked here; what life at the park is like, that kind of thing. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary”.

“But… so that’s all he asked you? He didn’t say anything else?”

“No, Ben”, Rey replied with a hint of a giggle. “Please, don’t worry. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. I work at the circus, so I know how to spot a man with indecent intentions. It’s something that comes with the job. Though I don’t think that man wanted me like that, there was definitely something off about him; I could spot it from a mile away. You learn these kinds of things in my position. It’s very sweet that you want to protect me, but I promise you, I can handle myself”, Rey replied, placing a hand on Ben’s cheek and stroking it with her thumb. 

Ben covered her hand with his, offering a small smile. She thought he was just being protective. 

He had to tell her the truth.

“Rey, is there somewhere indoors we can go? I need to talk to you.”

  
  


\----

  
  


Ten minutes later, the pair sat in the secluded back room of the baby incubator building. Rey was cradling one of the premature babies in her arms as she fed him in the rocking chair, her expression soft and loving towards the infant. Ben felt safest here; even if Peavey was aware of their location, Ben couldn’t imagine him doing anything that would put these tiny lives in danger.

“So are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” Rey asked as she rocked the fussing infant back and forth, trying to encourage him to latch on to the bottle. Ben had been sitting nervously, his knee bouncing up and down as he watched the woman he loved, whose life may now be threatened. All because of him. 

Ben sighed. As they’d walked here in silence, he had been coming to the devastating realization that this needed to be the end of their relationship. Not only would Rey be livid and want nothing to do with him anymore once she’d found out the trouble he’d put her in, he knew he couldn’t in good conscience be able to continue to see her, as he would knowingly be endangering her life. This was  _ his _ issue, and the last thing he wanted was for her to be dragged into it. 

“Ben”, she said, somewhat expectantly, snapping him out of his thoughts. “You’re scaring me”.

“I need to tell you something, Rey”.

  
  


——

  
  


Ben spent the next half hour explaining to Rey all of the things he’d experienced at work; from the screams he’d heard at the warehouses, the trips to the salt marshes, to the hidden books with the large sums of money and crossed out names. He told Rey that the man he’d seen with her earlier was the same one who had made those men scream. During the time he spoke, Rey had an increasingly worried look on her face, which was only interrupted for a few moments while she replaced the baby in his incubator and removed Annabelle from hers. She cradled the infant to her chest as she listened; Ben surmised she was doing so for her own comfort as much as the Annabelle’s. As he finished speaking, Rey kept her eyes downcast and her breathing even. Ben had trouble discerning her demeanor, but still, he continued.

“Rey, I—I think we need to stop seeing each other”, Ben finally ground out. He knew it was for the best.

“What?” Rey asked, her eyes snapping up to his. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t want to drag you into this, Rey. I really don’t know what it all means, but I don’t want you involved”, Ben said, tears welling in his eyes. He couldn’t bear to part with Rey, but he knew this was for the best. He was doing it for her.

Rey’s eyes narrowed. 

“Ben, don’t be an idiot. Do you think that breaking up is really going to solve this? First off, I’m already involved here; I’ve clearly caught the attention of whoever these people are. Whether we’re together or not isn’t going to change that at this point. And second, look at us. You and me. We’re a team. We have this connection; we build each other up, we support, and help each other become better versions of ourselves. We’re stronger together. You make me feel  _ strong _ , Ben. What the hell good would breaking up do, when we can get through this together? I won’t let them take this away from us, and you shouldn’t either”.

“So… you really want to stay with me?” Ben asked incredulously. 

“Of course I do, silly. I’m not leaving your side for anything”.

Ben felt as though part of a massive weight had been lifted from his body. He inhaled deeply, finding relief in the fact that his chest didn’t feel quite so tight anymore. 

“So, what are we going to do?” Rey asked.

Ben crossed his arms and sat back, wracking his brain for ideas. He really didn’t even know what they were up against, other than the fact that it was something sinister and dangerous. 

“Maybe if I explain everything to Snoke”, he started, trusting his boss would know what to do.

Rey’s eyebrows immediately furrowed into a panicked expression.

“Ben, are you crazy? No! From all you’ve told me, it sounds like he’s the one behind all of this! He’s the last person you should be going to!”

“But, I trust him”, Ben countered. “He’s never steered me wrong before. He’s been a mentor to me since I was very young”.

“Ben, he’s brainwashing you. Don’t you see?! He’s trying to mold you and make you think like him. But I know you, Ben” she said, looking pleadingly into his eyes. “I know you’re not like that. You have too much good in you”. 

Deep down in the recesses of his heart, Ben knew he should believe her. But, Snoke’s words kept echoing in his mind. 

_ As long as you stay with me, I will guide you in the right direction. _

Ben was snapped out of his thoughts as Rey placed a hand on his knee, keeping a firm grip on the baby with her other.

“I work for manipulative assholes too, Ben. I have all my life. My boss, Unkar, has cheated me out of so much money with the promise that I’ll get paid. But I’ve woken up and stopped standing for it. Sometimes it still brings me down, but at least now I fight for myself”.

Ben’s ears perked up and he looked at her, as something she’d said suddenly caught his ear.

“What did you say your boss’s name was?”

“Unkar. Unkar Plutt. He’s a nasty, shady slug of a man. I know he’s involved with some kind of dirty business, but that’s carnival life—“

Ben cut her off before she could finish. 

“That was one of the names in the book. I’m sure of it, I wouldn’t forget a name like that. He owes Snoke money and if he doesn’t pay, he’s going to...”

Ben trailed off; he knew Rey caught his meaning. 

“They’re going to go after him”, she murmured. “And he’s so stupid; I bet he doesn’t even know what he’s up against. I bet you he thinks he can talk his way out of it”, Rey said. “And that must’ve been why that guy you work with was talking to me. He asked me some questions about my employment here. I mentioned Unkar to him, without even realizing”.

“Rey, I want to take you out of here. I feel like it’s not safe”.

“What do you mean… like, leave together?”

“I—I’m not sure”, Ben replied. He felt a sense of relief with the realization that he wasn’t a target, but he also knew he needed to protect Rey. Her suggestion to leave made him feel impulsive and exhilarated, and the prospect of a life together flashed through his thoughts.

“I can’t just leave, though”, Rey said sadly. She looked down at the baby in her arms. “Especially while she’s still here. I’m planning on sleeping here until the family comes to pick her up”.

“I’ll stay with you”, he replied immediately, not wanting to let her out of his sight. 

“You’d do that?” Rey asked in a small voice, a hint of a smile peeking out.

“Yes. Yes I will”, Ben replied, looking sincerely into her eyes. “I just need to go get some clothes and things from my room, and I’ll be back. Then we can talk about what to do from there. Okay?”

“Okay”, Rey responded with a hopeful smile. She almost looked as though she was going to cry tears of happiness.

“I’ll be back”, Ben said, standing up and giving her a quick, but intense kiss before running out the door. 

  
  


——

  
  


The evening air was unseasonably warm for early May, and Ben began sweating as he made his way home as quickly as possible. He really had no idea what he was doing or when he’d be back here; he’d never acted so impulsively before.

He packed his things as quickly as possible, taking care to be silent while doing so.

As he tiptoed down the darkened staircase, his eyes darted around constantly to make sure the coast was clear. Just when he thought he’d nearly escaped without being seen, a figure emerged from the shadows.

Ben jumped out of his skin, but remained silent. Upon realizing it was Hux, he brought a finger to his lips to signify silence.

Hux looked around suspiciously. 

“Where have you been? Snoke has been looking for you all night”, the redhead whispered. “He was asking me…  _ questions _ about you, but I told him I didn’t know anything. I swear”.

“Look, I need to get out of here for a little while”, Ben replied. “Please - don't say anything to Snoke”. 

“I won’t”, Hux replied, and Ben felt an odd sense of sincerity in his expression. Just as he turned to leave, a sinister voice echoed from the shadows. Ben felt all of his nerves turn to dread as he realized he’d been discovered.

“Ahh, young Solo. I’ve been waiting for you. Please step into my office”. Ben suddenly felt chilled to the bone.

Ben obediently followed Snoke into the office, his heart racing uncontrollably. He stood near the doorway until Snoke motioned for him to sit down, and as he did, placing his suitcase next to him.

“Going somewhere?” Snoke’s voice was dramatic, almost theatrically so, and Ben had a sick feeling in his stomach that his mentor may have been mocking him.

“Uh, I was going to visit my mother for a couple of days. She’s ill, and wanted me to come home until she’s well again”.

“ _ Home _ ?” Snoke asked pointedly. 

“Uh, I meant to my childhood home”, he nervously corrected.

A slimy smile crossed Snoke’s face. 

“So, it’s come to my attention that you’ve recently become  _ distracted _ , boy.

“Uh, distracted, Sir?”

“Yes, distracted”, Snoke replied cryptically. “I do recall warning you that any distractions would need to be dealt with”. His voice almost seemed teasing. “And in this case,  _ eliminated _ ”.

“I’m not sure I know what you mean, Sir”, Ben replied softly, his voice shaking. He felt terrified, sick to his stomach, and he had a gut feeling that he needed to get to Rey immediately. 

Ben’s speculation soon turned to horror as Snoke produced something from his pocket and tossed it in Ben’s direction, landing in front of him on the desk.

It was the photo that had gone missing from Ben’s room.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you thought in the comments! 💗


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything falls apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was thrilling to write - and I'm really excited to share it!
> 
> An extra special thank you to [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake) for helping me write out of my comfort zone (especially in this chapter), giving me constant feedback, criticism, and encouragement, and for being an overall wonderful friend.

Ben Solo had faced a lot of fear in his life. 

There was the fear he’d felt every single time his father had left when he was a child. It was a cold, lonely feeling, a sense of foreboding that gripped him every time as he wondered if Han would ever return, or if this time would be the last. 

Then there was the fear he’d felt when his mother had sent him off to Snoke’s boarding school, at an age where he was barely old enough to understand why. The school she’d left him at was ominous, bathed in shadows, and the walls were painted a drab dark green. And just like the building, the entire staff was cold, unfeeling, and impersonal. He’d essentially grown up in an environment devoid of love and nurturing, something he’d so craved as a child. Snoke had trained him to constantly stuff down his emotions, forcing him to hide what he was truly feeling. It felt unnatural, and at times he thought all of his emotions would just burst out of him, but he always somehow managed to keep his composure just as he’d been trained to. 

Ben had felt a great deal of fear in the past few months, particularly at work and on his trips to the salt marshes. Every time he’d gone out with Peavey and his men, a sickening feeling would creep up his spine as he watched them conduct their business. Adding to his deep sense of unease was the fact that what they were doing didn’t seem to phase them one bit.

But nothing he’d ever felt before compared to the feeling that gripped him as Snoke tossed the missing photograph at him.

_ He knows _ . 

_ He knows, and now he’s after Rey _ . 

Ben felt his body start to move involuntarily, seized abruptly by pure instinct. He was hardly aware of his actions; suddenly the world seemed to pass by in a dazed slow motion. He felt himself throw his body upright, knocking the heavy chair over in the process, then propelling himself towards the door. 

The last thing he heard was a cackle coming from a still seated Snoke. 

Running on pure adrenaline, Ben sprinted in the direction of Coney Island. The air had cooled a bit since the sun had set, and there was a faint smell of burning wood, likely from people lighting fireplaces in their homes. 

A thousand thoughts pulsed through Ben’s mind as he raced towards Rey. What had Snoke done? How had he tracked her down so quickly? Would he be too late?

Rey had seemed to distrust Snoke from the moment Ben had mentioned him; he was now kicking himself for not taking her reaction more seriously. Her intuition was strong, and he now knew that he should’ve listened to her.

This was all his fault.

As he approached Coney Island, Ben realized that the smell of smoke had become stronger. At first, he was too preoccupied to notice how strange it was that so many people had their fireplaces lit on such a warm night. 

However, his sense of dread grew as he approached the boardwalk, when he realized that the smell was in fact not coming from anyone’s fireplace.

It was coming from the park.

Ben sprinted down the walkway towards Dreamland. In the distance, he could see an ominous glow emanating from the park, reflecting into the sky above. As he ran onto the boardwalk, a scene of chaos unfolded before his eyes.

The grand tower was the centerpiece of a building inferno, standing tall amongst several burning buildings. Though still untouched by fire, the darkened tower took on a sinister orange hue, the shadows from smoke and flame dancing up and down the façade. Ben had a gut feeling that it was just a matter of time before it too would be consumed.

He heard screaming and commotion along with the crackling of the flames, which looked as if they’d engulfed a large portion of the park. Workers and onlookers were congregated outside the gate, some crying and screaming as their livelihoods burned to the ground, and Ben saw several firefighters running around inside with their equipment. Without a second thought, Ben leapt over the gate, letting himself into the park as he ignored the protests of the staff members yelling after him.

He had only Rey on his mind, and he wouldn’t let anything stop him from reaching her.

Ben passed the Helter Skelter, the curled metal slide gleaming as the lighthouse-shaped building it was wrapped around burned violently. The sounds of twisting metal and wood crashing down filled his ears, and he knew he needed to move faster. He ran by the Hell Gate ride, which was so engulfed in the inferno that Ben could barely recognize it. He felt as though he really was in hell, the extreme heat from the flames nipping painfully at his face. He heard screams everywhere - screams that sounded far different than the usual sounds of the park guests on thrill rides. 

Firefighters were scattered all around him; Ben knew that they must’ve brought men in from several firehouses in Brooklyn. 

“The hydrants aren’t working!” Ben heard one of them yell. He saw them holding aiming fire hoses at the flames, but very little water was coming out. Ben began to panic even more as he raced to his destination.

As Ben ran, he passed both a running horse and a tiger who must’ve escaped from the animal menagerie. Normally, the sight of a big cat on the loose would incite crippling fear, but Ben could see the tiger was skittish and terrified, and only had its mind set on escaping danger just like everyone else. Seconds later, he spotted a trainer racing after them, trying to corral the frightened animals. The entire scene seemed surreal.

Finally, Ben reached the building that housed the babies. He felt as if he’d been punched in the gut as he saw the burning building, and he hoped with all his soul that Rey had safely made it out. 

A group of firefighters were walking away holding tiny babies wrapped in blankets, leading them to safety. At first Ben was relieved, but after counting the babies - five - he realized with horror that one was missing. He spotted Maz, who was crying and screaming hysterically in the arms of two other nurses.

Ben’s sense of dread heightened more and more as he realized that Rey wasn’t anywhere to be found. 

“I need to go in there!” Maz screamed. “She’s trapped!”

Ben raced over to the old woman. 

“Maz, who’s trapped? Tell me, who?” He frantically grabbed her by the shoulders. 

“Rey!” Maz wailed. Her voice grew quieter. “I can’t lose her, Ben”.

He didn’t even think twice. The next thing he knew, he was walking through the doorway of the burning building. 

“Hey! You can’t go in there! It’s too dangerous!” Ben heard someone shout, but he paid no attention to their words. 

He recoiled momentarily as a blast of intense heat scorched his face and lungs, but still he propelled himself into the blaze. Gasping for air, Ben held his handkerchief over his mouth. Although the bright flames and thick smoke stung his eyes, it didn’t matter; he knew exactly where Rey was.

Storming towards the back room, Ben yelled her name. 

“Rey!”

He was met with no response. 

“Rey!” He yelled again, finally making his way into the back room. “Where are you?”

It was then that he saw her, through the intense brightness of the flames, huddled into a back corner of the room that wasn’t yet touched by the fire. She had a cloth clamped over her mouth, and she was holding Annabelle tightly, the baby’s head covered and pressed protectively to her chest. He saw a tiny wooden bassinet next to the couch; he guessed Rey and Annabelle had both been sleeping there when the fire began.

“BEN!” Rey shrieked when she saw him. She was crying and whimpering, her knees drawn up against Annabelle’s back. 

“Rey”, Ben grunted, rushing over to her as relief flooded his body. It was then that his senses began to overtake him; with a rush he could suddenly feel the sweat pouring down his face, the heat from the fire burning his skin, and the smoke irritating his lungs. 

It was overwhelming. But, he needed to focus; they weren’t out of danger yet.

He heard Rey coughing and he knew they didn’t have much time. Trying to keep calm, Ben looked around the room. Smoke was pouring in through the doorway; it would be mere minutes before the flames made their way into the room. He spotted a tiny rectangular window near the ceiling; Rey had already thought to open it to keep fresh air flowing inside, but there was no way any of them, even Annabelle, would fit through it. 

“Ben, how are we going to get out?” Rey whimpered between coughs. He knelt down and she grabbed onto his hand, squeezing it in terror. 

“Give me the baby”, he commanded, his instincts once again kicking in. Rey quickly took care in making sure Annabelle was well covered so she’d be shielded from the heat, kissed her on the forehead, and handed her to Ben. He took the precious life into his arms and nestled her securely against his body, curling his arm around her and holding her head with the same hand, being sure to keep her tiny mouth and nose gently covered with her blanket. With his other arm, he hoisted Rey up and over his shoulder, instructing her to stay down, keep close to his body, and refrain from moving. Both lives were in his hands now, and he felt incredibly protective over them. 

As he exited the back room, he tried to refrain from breathing, though his lungs were screaming for air. As he stepped into the main lobby, he knew he had to think quickly when he saw the roaring flames leaping up the walls, the crackling sounds they emitted ringing in his ears. 

Part of the door frame had caved in, and flames were obstructing their exit. Ben looked around, searching for another option, but there was none. He was aware that there were mere moments until things would get worse, so he knew he had to just make a run for it.

The next few seconds seemed to pass in slow motion as he sprinted through the doorway, his first priority being to keep Annabelle shielded from the heat and flame. He turned his body inward as he plowed through the burning doorway, keeping his hand tightly around Rey’s waist. He heard her scream and felt her grip his side as they exited the building, and he feared that he’d made a wrong move and accidentally swung her into the flames. 

As he felt the cool night air hit his face, he finally let himself gasp for air, looking around frantically to make sure neither he nor Rey were on fire. He felt someone remove Annabelle from his arms and lead him away from the building. Once they were a safe distance away, he put his arms around Rey’s waist and gently pulled her down to the ground. 

She still coughed and sputtered, and as he gently placed her on the ground, her knees buckled. 

“Rey, are you okay?” Ben asked, crouching down with her. She nodded as she continued to cough, finally looking up at him. Her eyes were tearful and weary, a far cry from her usual demeanor. 

At that moment, Maz came over and crouched beside the pair. 

“My darling girl, I can’t believe I almost lost you”, the older woman said tearfully, drawing Rey into a long hug. He saw Rey’s face contort with sobs as she hugged her mentor. Suddenly, her eyes opened.

“Where’s Annabelle? Is she okay?” 

Rey broke from the hug, looking around frantically.

“Annabelle is fine. They’re just taking her to the hospital for observation. And that’s where you’re headed too, my dear. Both of you”. 

Suddenly, a sickening creaking sound broke the group out of their conversation.

“Get back!” Ben heard someone scream. He instinctively grabbed Rey, pushing her backwards out of harm’s way. As he turned around, he watched the entire baby incubator building collapse before his eyes. Ben felt a rush of heat hit his face, and he shielded his eyes from the sudden brightness. He realized that if he’d arrived just a few minutes later, Rey and Annabelle would’ve been in that building as it collapsed.

“Come on kids, we need to get out of here”, Maz said, pulling them both by the arms.

A couple of firefighters led them swiftly out of the park, where several ambulances were waiting to take them away.

Ben felt a massive wave of relief, from both the heat and the danger. Rey and Annabelle were both alive because of him. As they made it to the pier, Ben saw several fire brigade boats on the water, battling the flames from the ocean.

He looked back at Dreamland park one last time before climbing into the back of the ambulance. In the distance, he could see the grand tower now engulfed in flames. The same tower that they’d climbed up after their romantic evening together, where they’d shared some of their first intimate moments. The flames shot up towards the sky, engulfing the entire white façade, and illuminating the building far more brightly than all the electric lights had.

As the car drove away, Ben held a weeping Rey in his arms. Shock was beginning to set in, and he felt numb. They were alive and safe, they’d just been through literal hell, and Ben felt exhausted. All he wanted to do was curl himself around Rey and sleep for a month. As he began to feel himself drift off, a jarring thought jolted him awake. Rest would have to wait; the danger hadn’t passed yet. 

_ Snoke was still on the loose. _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Dreamland fire was an actual event, which took place in the middle of the night on May 26, 1911. I did a lot of research to make this as historically accurate as possible, though of course some of the details were changed to better fit the story. I think it's important to mention, though, that all the babies were safely rescued, just like in the story!
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter, please let me know in the comments what you thought!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is the end! This chapter is a bit of a monster - I probably should've split it up into two (or three, even!), but I didn't want to do that at the last minute. 
> 
> Of course thank you to my wonderful alpha and beta, who spent endless hours talking, sprinting, supporting, and encouraging me through this, [Littlemistake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlemistake/pseuds/Littlemistake). When I started this story, I had no idea such a wonderful friend would come out of it. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, enjoyed, and supported this story throughout the past seven months. It's been so much fun!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this long rollercoaster of a chapter, and please please please let me know what you thought in the comments!

Rey clung to Ben as they were led into the hospital. It was quiet upon their arrival, but Ben heard rumblings from staff that they were soon expecting a huge influx of patients from the fire. Ben had an arm slung around Rey as they walked; the weight of her body felt as if she couldn’t remain upright on her own. A nurse led the pair into a small curtained-off area with a bed.

“Are you her husband?” The woman asked Ben as she pulled the curtain back around them. 

“Yes, he is”, Rey replied immediately, her eyes wide and tearful. “Please don’t make him leave”.

“Okay”, the nurse said, and Ben felt a warmth bloom in his stomach at the thought that this woman thought Rey was his wife. “I need you to both strip down to your undergarments so the doctor can examine you for burns.

“Where are the babies?” Rey asked. “I’m one of their caretakers; I need to make sure they’re okay”. 

“Don’t worry, honey. As soon as the doctor clears you, you can go visit with them”, the woman replied with a kind smile.

After the nurse left them alone, Ben helped a shaking Rey remove her dress and stockings, as she seemed too weary to do it herself. Ben realized she must have been in somewhat of a state of shock over everything that had just happened, and rightly so; her entire world had just collapsed around her in a fiery inferno.

As he gently removed her soot-covered nurse’s dress and satin corset underneath, he took care to look over her body himself to make sure she hadn’t been burnt. Fortunately he was only met with a healthy tan and freckles, and not a sign of anything more. After removing most of his own clothing, Ben laid down in the bed, taking Rey with him. After pulling the blanket over them, Ben wrapped his arms protectively around her. He felt a cool wetness on his arm, and as he looked down, he saw Rey’s black, sooty tears splashing onto his skin and rolling down to the bed. He pulled her more tightly against his chest.

Ben began to come to his senses a little bit more as they lay together. He knew he needed to get the two of them to safety, as he didn’t know how Snoke would react if he learned that they’d both survived the fire. 

It was becoming increasingly clear to Ben that they’d have to disappear, at least for a while.

They stayed silent and motionless for several minutes until the doctor came in to inspect them. One by one, he listened to their breathing, peered into their eyes and throats, and looked over their bodies to be sure they were unharmed. Rey continued to cling to Ben, preferring to bury her face in his neck rather than allow herself to be poked and prodded. Nevertheless, the doctor was able to see that she was physically unharmed.

“Now normally in your situation we would keep you here until morning for observation, but we’re short on beds and are expecting a huge number of folks who are in far worse shape than the two of you”. 

Ben felt immensely relieved; he knew there was no way they’d be able to safely stay there until the morning. It was too dangerous.

“Thank you”, he said, as the doctor moved onto his next patient. Ben helped Rey dress herself before putting his own clothes back on. As Ben pulled his arms through the sleeves of his coat, he felt something in the pocket. In all the chaos of Snoke’s office, he realized he’d grabbed the photo from Snoke’s desk and thrown it into his coat. He was happy to discover that it had survived the fire.

“Come on”, Rey said, gently grabbing Ben’s hand and tugging on it once they’d finished dressing. “I need to go see the little ones”.

“Rey”, Ben said, grabbing her gently by the shoulders and sitting her back down on the bed. “I need to tell you something”. 

Rey looked back at him, her worried eyes wide as saucers. Ben took a deep breath.

“I think we’re in danger. The fire… I—I think it’s all connected to Snoke and my job. We need to leave, soon”.

“But the babies—“ Rey started. “I can’t leave without making sure Annabelle is okay”.

Ben realized how adamant Rey’s tone was, and that he wouldn’t be able to persuade her otherwise. 

“We can go check on the babies quickly, but after that, we need to go. Rey, I can’t have anything happen to you”.

Rey nodded in understanding as they quickly made their way down the hallway.

It was easy to find the infants; their tiny cries coming from one of the rooms being a giveaway. Rey spotted Maz, as well as several small cradles that held the babies. Rey swiftly crossed the room, taking care to peek lovingly at all the infants as she passed them. Ben stood at the doorway watching her, but also cautiously peered down the hallway every few seconds. He saw Rey’s face light up as she reached the last cradle, a warm, relieved smile crossing her face. 

“Hello”, a soft female voice sounded, suddenly jerking her out of her thoughts. Rey looked up to see two people she clearly hadn’t noticed before, standing at Annabelle’s cradle. Ben could see all the color immediately drain from Rey’s soot-covered face as she realized who they were.

“Rey”, Maz said, immediately scurrying over to her employee. “I’d like you to meet--”

“Annabelle’s new parents”, Rey said softly. He could sense the disappointment in her voice as a sad smile grew on her face. 

“Yes, that’s right. And this is Rey”, he heard Maz say to the parents. “The one who has spent day and night looking after your little one”.

“Rey”, the woman said thoughtfully, a sweet smile on her face. 

“The girl we’ve heard so much about”, said Annabelle’s new father as he extended his hand. They were both young, well-dressed, and seemed quite kind. 

“If it wasn’t for this young lady, your baby wouldn’t be alive today. She stayed with her around the clock when she first came to us, caring for her and nursing her back to health. She believed in this little one when no one else did”.

The parents smiled sincerely at Rey; Ben could see from their expressions how grateful they really were. He could also tell that Rey was trying desperately to hold her emotions together as she smiled back at them.

“And this young man”, Maz continued, turning to Ben, “is the one responsible for pulling these two out of the fire. Neither of them would’ve made it out alive if it wasn’t for him”. 

Ben glanced down the hallway once more before crossing the room to join Rey. He shook the hands of both parents before placing his arm around Rey. He could feel her shaking.

“Thank you. Thank you both, so much”, Annabelle’s new mother said. 

With that, Annabelle started to cry. Ben could feel Rey instinctively move to pick the child up, but she held herself back as Annabelle’s adoptive mother placed her hands in the cradle instead.

It was clear the woman had very little experience with babies, as she awkwardly lifted the screaming child out of her bed, a look of panic crossing her face as she clumsily brought Annabelle close to her body. Her panicked expression only increased as the baby failed to stop crying.

“I don’t really know how to--” Annabelle’s new mother said. Her tone sounded apologetic as she looked at Rey.

“It’s okay”, Rey replied, immediately rushing to the woman’s rescue. Taking the baby gently from her arms, Rey cradled her expertly as she had so many times before. Annabelle immediately settled down, and Rey looked up at the new mother. 

“She likes when you hold her like this”, she said with a sad smile. Ben could see tears gathering in her eyes; it was clear she knew this would be the last time she’d be able to hold the baby she cared so much for. “Make sure your arms are firmly around her; I think it makes her feel safe”. 

A stray tear fell from Rey’s face as she looked down at Annabelle, her smile contorting as she tried to keep her composure.

“If she won’t stop crying, rock her gently like this”, she continued with a shaky voice, demonstrating the back and forth motion she had taught Ben just a few weeks before. He noticed her chin quiver as she tried to avoid a complete breakdown. “Her favorite song is ‘Hush Little Baby’; singing it to her will calm her right down”.

The mother nodded, a look of gentle sympathy evident on her face as she took in how emotional Rey was. 

“And… after her feedings, be sure to hold her upright for at least ten minutes, otherwise she’ll get terrible pains in her belly”, Rey choked out as tears began to flow freely down her face. “I’m sorry”, she continued, her voice now wailing uncontrollably. “I would’ve read stories to her too, but I don’t really know how to read. I spent so much time talking to her though, about so many things”. 

Ben put his hand on Rey’s back, gently stroking it as she shakily placed a kiss on Annabelle’s forehead and extended her arms to hand the baby to her new mother. Ben looked up and saw that the woman also had tears in her eyes as she allowed Rey to place her daughter into her arms. 

Rey sniffled and sputtered as she gave the baby away, stroking her tiny head in one last loving gesture. She stepped away as the new mother and father looked down at their baby, their eyes full of pure adoration.

“Thank you”, her mother said, a tear escaping her eye. Rey had a smile on her face, despite the sobs coming out of her. Ben and Maz stood on either side, each with a supportive and caring hand on her back. 

“Are you going to give her a new name?” Rey asked. 

“No”, the mother replied, shaking her head with a smile. “She’s always going to be Annabelle, and she’s going to grow up knowing all about you and what you did for her”. Rey smiled as a congested sob escaped her. She turned to Ben, looking up at him in what seemed to be a plea for comfort, and he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her in against his body. She shuddered uncontrollably against him, clearly trying but failing to stifle her cries.

“I wish we had something to remember you by”, the mother remarked, looking kindly at Ben. He gave her a tight-lipped smile, still holding a devastated Rey.

Then, something occurred to him. With a sudden movement that startled Rey, Ben frantically shoved his hand into his pocket, feeling the thick piece of cardstock and pulling it out.

With a shaky hand, he gave the photo of Rey and himself to Annabelle’s mother. 

“Here, I want you to have this”, he said awkwardly. Rey looked up at him with wonder in her eyes.

Annabelle’s parents both looked happily down at the photo, then back at their baby.

“Thank you so much”, the mother said to the pair. Ben gave her a tight-lipped smile and then turned back to Rey.

“We really need to get going”, he said softly to her. Rey nodded tearfully, her eyes downcast. With one final longing gaze at Annabelle, she turned to Maz and gave her a tearful hug.

“I’ll see you again someday”, she said quietly to her mentor. 

“Goodbye, my dear girl”, Maz replied, clearly aware that Rey’s words may not be true, despite her intentions. 

  
  


\----

  
  


Ben led Rey down the now crowded hallway, setting a swift pace and being sure to remain aware of their surroundings. The last thing he wanted was to be spotted by Snoke or one of his men.

“Rey!” He heard a voice cry out from the crowd. Ben instinctively wanted to shield Rey from the source of the sound, but relaxed when he recognized who the voice was coming from.

“Poe!” Rey exclaimed, leaping into her friend’s arms. “Finn! Oh, thank god, you’re both safe”. 

“Rey, I was so worried about you”, Finn said, taking her into his arms and squeezing his eyes shut with relief. 

“What about BB? Rose? Paige? Are they all okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, they’re fine, none of them were in the park when it happened. But Rey, we heard that Unkar didn’t make it”. 

Ben saw Rey’s eyes widen slightly, and she gave Ben a quick glance. 

“Do--do you know what happened? How the fire started?”

“We heard it was an electrical thing - they were repairing the Hell Gate ride and there was some kind of malfunction. But of course, the police are doing an investigation to know for sure”. 

“Oh”, Rey replied, looking again at Ben. He looked expectantly back at her, silently signifying that they needed to leave.

“Uh, we need to go”, Rey said apologetically. “But, I’ll come back and find you as soon as I can”. She drew both Finn and Poe into a hug at the same time, and Ben noticed the slight look of confusion on both of their faces. 

“I love you both”, he heard Rey say sadly before pulling away.

Ben once again grabbed her hand and led her quickly out of the hospital. The cool night air felt refreshing on Ben’s face, a stark contrast to the stuffiness of the crowded building. He led Rey through the darkened streets, and every so often when they passed an alleyway, they could see an ominous glow coming from the direction of the burning park. 

“Where are we going?” Rey asked, her voice small and meek. 

“Somewhere to keep you safe”, he replied, speeding up his pace a little.

  
  


\----

  
  


Several minutes later, they reached a familiar building. It was in a wealthy section of Manhattan, a place he hadn’t been in several years at the very least. He felt a sudden pang of nerves as he led Rey up the steps and rang the doorbell. 

Rey looked around, clearly in awe of the ornate buildings around her. She whirled around when the door opened, and Ben felt his heart leap into his throat.

Chewie, the caretaker of his mother’s house, had opened the door and was staring at him with a dumbstruck expression. 

“Chewie, who is it?” Ben heard his mother’s voice sound from the top of the stairs. She came into view, tying her robe as she quickly descended the staircase. 

“Benjamin?” She said as she stopped dead in her place.

“Mother”, Ben replied, too afraid to look her in the eye. 

“W--what are you doing here? Do you realize what time it is?”

“Mother, I need your help”.

The meek and submissive tone in his voice made him feel like a pathetic child. 

“Come inside, children”, Leia replied, beckoning towards the pair and glancing around outside before shutting the door behind them. Ben felt an air of relief upon hearing his mother’s concerned tone. 

“So, Benjamin, are you going to tell me what’s going on? Who is this lovely young lady, and why are you two covered in soot? You look as though you’ve just walked out of a raging fire”.

Ben and Rey glanced at each other, and he actually had to stamp down the urge to laugh at how ridiculous his mother’s comment sounded - and how it was even more ridiculous that she’d inadvertently gotten it right. 

“Uh, well, this is Rey”, Ben started, politely gesturing to the girl next to him. “Rey is… well, she’s…”

“We met at the circus, where I work. That’s how we know each other”, Rey finished matter-of-factly. Ben was mortified, knowing for sure that his mother would be as judgmental as possible over the fact that her son had brought a lowly, dirty circus worker into her house.

“Rey; that’s such a beautiful name. It’s so nice to meet you”, Leia said warmly, extending her hand. Ben was shocked at his mother’s tone, as well as the fact that she didn’t hesitate for a second to take the girl’s filthy hand into her own. 

“Mother, I need to tell you about Snoke”, Ben interrupted.

Ben ended up spilling to his mother his whirlwind of a story, trying to speak quickly, but also trying to cram in as much information as possible. Leia sat dumbstruck, listening to her son with widened eyes. At some points as he was talking, Rey grabbed his hand encouragingly, and Ben didn’t miss how his mother’s eyes darted down to their hands every single time. As he finished speaking, he almost felt out of breath. However, he also felt an incredible amount of relief in confessing to her everything that had been happening over the past several months. 

He was nervous that Leia would be upset at his carelessness, however after he’d finished, he realized that wasn’t the case at all. Instead, she looked at him with sad, tired eyes.

“Ben, I’m sorry that I ever sent you to that school”, she said, shaking her head. “To be perfectly honest, all of my instincts told me not to do it, not to send you away, but I thought that it’d be best for you. That place had a wonderful reputation, and I only wanted the best for my son. I should’ve listened to my gut feeling after all”.

Leia turned to Rey.

“And honey, I’m so sorry you’ve become caught up in this, too. I can see that my son loves you very much, and--”

“Mother, we don’t have much time”.

“Well, son, I do have connections to the mayor and the DA’s office, but, what am I going to do without proof?” Leia rubbed her chin in thought. 

“I can go get proof. Right now”, Ben blurted out immediately. 

“No Ben, it’s too dangerous”, Rey said, protectively curling her arm in his. 

“She’s right, Ben, I can’t let you do that”, Leia echoed. “We’ll deal with it together in the morning. Let me run a bath, and make some tea for you two. Rey, I can give you one of my robes to wear--”

“No, Mother. You don’t understand. Snoke wants us dead. I need to deal with this tonight, and I know exactly what I need to do”.

He was met with panic-stricken expressions from both Rey and his mother. They both knew there was no stopping him.

“Can I leave Rey here? She’ll be safe with you; I know Snoke would never try anything with you here. Especially with Chewie around”.

“Well, of course you can, but Ben, I--”, Leia seemed at a loss for words.

“Make sure you keep all the doors locked, and have Chewie on the lookout, just in case.

“Benjamin... please be careful”, his mother said, stepping over to Ben and reaching up to gently stroke his face.

“I will, mother”, Ben replied. 

Rey then approached Ben, shyly at first, but then gaining more confidence as she tearfully wrapped her arms tightly around him.

“Please be safe”, she choked out. “I can’t lose you, too”.

“You won’t lose me”, Ben replied, feeling wildly uncomfortable being affectionate with Rey in his mother’s presence. His discomfort turned to mild surprise when he looked over at her as he held Rey, and noticed that she looked as though she was trying to hide a proud smile from taking over her face. 

“I love you”, Rey whispered.

“I love you, too”, he replied softly.

  
  


\----

  
  


Ben felt a newfound sense of courage and determination as he quickly made his way to the office, unsure of who or what would be waiting for him there. He had a vague plan in his mind, and kept his ultimate goal at the forefront of his thoughts - to recover the ledger books. 

As he reached the darkened office, he quickly ascended the steps, glancing around him to make sure no one was watching. The building looked ominous and creepy in the night, and Ben could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he tried to open the door. Of course, it was locked. 

He contemplated smashing the glass pane on the door, but feared it would make too much noise. So instead, he ran down the steps and up to one of the street-level windows to see if he could find a way inside. Unfortunately it too was locked. 

Ben quickly scoured the exterior of the building, finally coming across a small, basement-level window that he was able to open. The windowsill scratched against his body as he tried to fit his large frame through.

He was momentarily disoriented as his feet landed on the basement floor, the room pitch black except for a very faint glow from the streetlights outside. Extending his arms out in front of himself, Ben slowly made his way to the doorway, feeling against the cement wall as he walked to keep himself situated. 

He quickly found a staircase and ascended it, relief flooding him as he saw that the larger windows of the ground floor allowed more light from the streetlamps to filter in. He hoped he was alone in the building, but he still took great care in keeping as quiet as possible. 

The familiar building looked far more ominous in the darkness, sinister shadows dancing across the walls much like they did at Snoke’s boarding school. He’d often felt a muted sense of dread in this building, but the feeling was amplified now. Ben tried to keep his fear from taking over as he crept up another flight of stairs to his office. 

He moved swiftly as he entered the office, quickly rifling through Pryde’s desk to find the keys to the safe, unlocking it, and grabbing the books inside. He was about to shut the safe when he saw a gleam of light reflecting off of something, which he quickly realized was the gun he’d seen before. After a moment of contemplation, Ben grabbed the gun too. 

It was heavier than he’d anticipated, the smooth metal cold against his fingers. He slipped the weapon into his pocket as he gathered the books in his arm, quietly locking the safe. 

Looking around himself, Ben darted out the door and into the hallway. He felt hyper aware of his surroundings, his eyes constantly shifting directions, and his ears open and listening for any sounds that may alert him to danger. He could feel his heart pounding out of his chest, which radiated all the way throughout his body. As he quickly rounded the corner, he began moving more quickly, his shoes making soft scuffing sounds against the marble floor. 

Suddenly, Ben was startled out of his skin as a light flipped on in an office at the end of the hallway. As soft light flooded the space, Ben stopped dead in his tracks, praying that whoever was inside hadn’t heard him. The only thing he could hear was the sound of the blood pulsing in his ears, and he knew he had to get out, fast. Ben backed himself up as quietly as possible, rounding the corner he’d just come from, and bolted towards the back stairwell. 

As silently as possible, Ben crept down the stairs and back into the basement, trying not to allow the panic to take over. Just as he’d crept inside through the tiny window, he lifted himself out, shimmying his large body up and onto the pavement, keeping the books close to his body. As he stood up and came to his senses, he could still see a faint glow from the fire off in the distance, and aside from the sound of the occasional fire siren, the street was empty and quiet. Suddenly, the smell of motor oil hit him in the face, as if a car had backfired. 

The source of the smell was suddenly made clear as Ben turned around, revealing the very last person he wanted to see.

Ben sucked in a long, shaky breath as he realized it was Peavey standing before him, the faint glow of the streetlights causing the controlled smile on the man’s face to appear maniacal and grotesque. Peavey’s stance was offensive, his solid body blocking Ben’s way. He’d been backed into a corner, his only escape route being to run right past the man. Even in the dim light, Ben could see that his hands were covered in black grease or oil. With a sense of dread, the events of the evening suddenly became clear to him.

“Well, look who it is”, Peavey said, his voice dripping with menace. “Pity about your whore; she was so pretty. I suppose you can always find another one”. 

“Fuck you”, Ben replied through gritted teeth, resisting the instinctive temptation to boast about Rey and the fact that she’d survived. Peavey only sneered.

“Pathetic kid. And you think you’re actually going to get away with those books?”

Ben tried to lunge past him, but leapt back when he saw the other man quickly draw a knife. A low cackle left Peavey. 

“Nice try”. 

Ben felt like a caged animal, pressure and frustration building in him as he shifted his weight back and forth, trying to think of a way to escape Peavey’s clutches. He tried lunging past Peavey a couple more times, but the man’s reflexes were strong, and Ben realized that there was no possible way.

Suddenly, the sound of someone screaming sharply rang out from behind the brick wall Ben was standing in front of. He instinctively whipped his head back, before turning back to his attacker just as he heard footsteps pounding toward him. 

Without thinking, Ben dodged Peavey’s knife and extended his arm, his solid fist meeting his opponent squarely in the nose. Adrenaline once again rushed through Ben’s body as the man was knocked backwards, his weight falling heavily to the ground with a sickening sound, not unlike the limp bodies he’d seen thrown around in the salt marsh. 

Ben stood silently for a split second before slowly tiptoeing over to the unconscious man, checking for signs of life. Suddenly remembering what was in his pocket, he slipped a hand inside , feeling cool metal against his hand. 

Ben pulled out the gun, crouching down to check to see if the man was still alive. After a few seconds, he saw the telltale rise and fall of his chest. Ben glanced at the gun, then back at Peavey, knowing that all he’d have to do to eliminate his enemy would be to pull the trigger. Pointing the gun directly at Peavey’s head, Ben felt his heart racing out of his chest. Every instinct was telling him to kill the man, to show him no mercy. 

Then, the image of Rey popped into his mind.

What would she think if he killed this man? Sure, it was true that Peavey had tried to kill not only Rey, but the babies as well.

But ultimately, he knew she would not condone retribution. Instead, she would want him to show the man mercy. 

He knew what he had to do.

_ I choose a life with Rey _ , he thought.

Slipping the gun back into his pocket, Ben stepped over Peavey, swiftly walking in the direction of his mother’s house.

  
  


\----

  
  
  


Chewie reluctantly answered the door, cautiously scanning the outdoors to be sure Ben hadn’t accidentally brought along any unwanted visitors. 

“Oh, thank god!” Ben heard Rey cry, as she ran to him and leapt towards him. Ben dropped the books on the floor as he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing his eyes shut and losing himself in the moment. Her small body was soft under his touch, and he could feel her tremble against him. 

As Ben opened his eyes, he saw his mother standing nearby, watching their embrace with a warm smile. Ben slowly placed Rey back on the floor, realizing that she had cleaned herself up and was now wearing one of his mother’s robes. How sweet and domestic it seemed.

“Okay, Mother”, Ben said, once again remembering himself and picking up the books. “These contain all the information on the company’s accounts. I will also write out some information for you, detailing exactly where the police will find the bodies of the people they’ve killed. Rey, we need to go”, Ben added, extending his hand out to affectionately rub Rey’s arm.

“Wait, what? We still need to go?”

“Yes, we still aren’t safe here. I need Mother to handle all this evidence, but for the time being, we need to run. Snoke’s still out there somewhere”. 

“O--Okay”, Rey stammered. 

“Benjamin, while I do wish you’d just wait until morning, I understand why you need to go”, Leia said sadly. 

Thirty minutes later, Ben and Rey were back outside, quickly walking in the direction of a hotel. His mother had packed a bag with a couple of his old suits, which likely didn’t fit, but they were far better than the charred one he was wearing. He’d washed his face and hands to look presentable, and Leia had handed him a small wad of cash to pay for a few nights’ journey.

Ben found them a room at a large, mid-priced hotel, the clerk snickering to himself as he checked them in. 

Clearly he thought that a young couple checking in so late at night had only one intent. Ben felt his face flush as he thought about it.

Sure, he and Rey were renting this room to keep themselves safely hidden from Snoke, but it was also now setting in that they’d be spending the remainder of the night alone with Rey. In a nice room. With a bed.

As they entered their room, Ben set his bag down and remained awkwardly near the door, unsure of how to act. Rey gave him a soft smile and yawned, sitting on the bed and curling her feet up underneath her. 

She suddenly looked meek and vulnerable, her face growing stoic, as though she was finally able to process the events of the evening now that she could relax with some space. Sensing her need for comfort, Ben sat down next to her, curling his arm around her body as she nuzzled her face into his chest. Ben felt her begin to shake, and after a few moments, her entire body began wracking itself with heavy sobs. 

Ben could do nothing but hold her, swaddling her tightly in his arms as though she was one of the small, defenseless infants that she cared for. He soothingly rubbed her arm with his fingertips, occasionally planting soft kisses on the top of her head. Rey wailed, her entire body shaking as she held onto Ben, her fingers squeezing tightly around his back. She was clawing at his body as though she was afraid to fall, afraid to let go. The sobs that came out of her were anguished and pained, and her cheeks were flooded with a constant stream of tears.

Ben kept his body curled around Rey’s for several minutes, until her cries began to subside. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, still keeping her body pressed up against Ben’s for comfort. She took several steady breaths, culminating in a long cleansing sigh, and afterwards she looked up at Ben with large, red-rimmed eyes. 

Ben looked lovingly back at her, and he didn’t miss how her eyes suddenly flicked down to his lips. He felt Rey slowly and gently curl her hand around the back of his head, before leaning in and bringing him into a searing kiss.

The hunger was immediately evident as Rey moved her lips against his; it was almost as if she thought she’d never have this chance again. She almost didn’t, he realized. 

He could feel her passion, her love, her heartbreak, and her fear all in that one kiss. Ben shuddered as he heard small whimpers and moans coming from her, his arousal becoming more and more prominent as she pressed her chest insistently against his. Without breaking the kiss, Rey guided herself underneath him, her arms still circled around his neck. 

Ben returned her fervor as he propped himself up on his elbow, his other hand burying itself roughly in her hair, pulling her closer. He unabashedly pressed his entire body against hers, a gesture that made her eyes widen at first, but the hunger in her eyes indicated that it was exactly what she needed. 

“Please, Ben”, Rey growled as she finally broke their kiss. She didn’t need to elaborate; Ben knew exactly what she was asking of him. 

Rey roughly pulled Ben’s coat over his shoulders, tossing it onto the floor before beginning to claw at the rest of his clothing. They disrobed each other in messy, frantic movements, and once they were completely nude, they both paused for a moment to hungrily gaze over each others’ bodies before continuing on. Ben didn’t miss how Rey was looking at him with a grin, how her eyes were lazily scanning the entirety of his body. It was as though she appreciated every inch of him even more, now that they’d just nearly lost each other. 

Rey lifted her head up to kiss him, once again pulling his body on top of hers. The kiss was deep, open-mouthed and heavy, the escalating passion between them causing a new type of fire to burn. Rey clutched Ben close to her body, holding on as if she never wanted to let go. He lay between her open legs, his hardened length occasionally brushing up against her opening, which he could tell was already slick with desire. A breathy groan escaped her the moment he began kissing her neck, which she arched to allow him better access. As he worked at her, she snaked her hand between their bodies, wrapping her fingers around his length and guiding him to where she needed him most. 

Ben heard himself involuntarily whimper the second he began pressing into her. Rey met his eyes, her gaze intense and strong. She moaned sharply, a sound that was desperate, beautiful, and intensely arousing. 

When he was fully seated inside of her, Ben stopped moving for a moment, still gazing into her eyes. Their chests rapidly rose and fell, the intensity of what was happening almost too much to bear. 

Ben noticed Rey’s eyes roll back in her head as he began to move against her. He felt her fingertips digging into his skin as she clutched him close, her eyes opening and gazing at him with the most loving expression. Ben had never felt closer to another human being as he did now, his hips beginning to thrust more swiftly into her. Matching his movements, Rey began emitting small, impassioned moans, indicating just how much this moment meant to her. 

They clung desperately to each other, the moment made even more intense by the fact that they didn’t break eye contact the entire time. Ben could tell the exact moment when Rey reached her peak by the way her entire body tightened up, the way her face contorted in pleasure, and the way she repeatedly gasped.

“I love you”, Ben rasped desperately as Rey fell apart beneath him.

“I love you”, she repeated in a breathy voice, just as Ben began to reach his own climax. Though he wanted more than anything to keep thrusting into her body, he pulled himself out of her just seconds before he began to come, taking his length into his hand and spilling himself all over her stomach. 

Still propped on his elbows, Ben dipped his head down, gently kissing Rey and stroking her cheek with his thumb. The only sound left in the room was their heavy breathing, and they remained still for a moment before settling down, Ben taking Rey into his arms and holding her close. 

They’d almost just lost each other, and the significance of that fact was not lost on either of them. They spoke very few words, but instead communicated through touches, cuddles, and sated smiles. Rey’s nude body felt wonderful against his, and after a few moments, he noticed her eyes begin to close. They’d had a long, eventful day, and the exhaustion was finally hitting her. 

He watched Rey’s peaceful, serene face for a few moments as she slept. Ben then carefully extracted himself from their embrace, heading to the bathroom and returning with a towel, gently wiping away the mess he’d left on her belly. He then took the time to wash his face, clearing away the last of the dirt and ash from the fire. Feeling clean, sated, and exhausted, Ben finally crawled back into bed, pulling Rey back into his arms, once again reveling in the feeling of her skin against his. It wasn’t long before he too was claimed by sleep’s spell, falling into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Ben awoke the next morning feeling overwhelmingly warm and comfortable. He slowly opened his eyes to find Rey lying next to him, wide awake and smiling. Her hand was curled around his side, and she was lazily stroking his skin with her fingers.

“Morning”, she said, her voice still raspy and sleepy. 

“Morning”, Ben replied, returning her smile.

“It’s already past 11”, Rey giggled. Ben’s eyes widened in surprise. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d slept so soundly through the night. 

“We should get moving”, Ben replied, knowing that the longer they stayed in the city, the less safe they were. 

“Do we have to?” Rey pouted playfully, ghosting her fingertips enticingly along Ben’s lower belly. Ben smirked, drawing Rey into a kiss and sitting himself up. He felt his nether regions begin to stir, and he almost got too caught up in the kiss before he pulled back. 

“Yes, we do”, he said with a smirk. “I was thinking we could take a train into the country for a few days, until we figure out a more long-term plan”.

Rey looked skeptical.

“We can spend the entire time in bed”, Ben teased.

“Sold”, she replied immediately, a massive grin taking over her face. 

A few minutes later, Ben was rifling through the bag his mother had packed for the two of them. He snickered as he dressed himself; the clothes Leia had included were just slightly too small, though they were still acceptable to wear.

Rey was chattering about their plans as she dressed herself, and Ben cracked a smile at how domestic the entire scene felt. At the very bottom of the bag, he suddenly noticed a paper envelope that he hadn’t seen before. Pulling it out, he realized it was thick and full. 

When he peered inside, his heart nearly stopped. Enclosed in the envelope was a massive stack of cash; there must have been thousands of dollars stuffed inside.

“...so when we get to the train, I think that—“

“Rey”, Ben said quietly. Rey kept talking, likely having not heard him. Ben turned to face her.

“...that we need to be really careful about who we—“

“ _ Rey _ ”, he repeated, more firmly this time. Rey stopped speaking, looking at Ben curiously, likely due to his dumbfounded expression.

“What is it?”

Ben held up the open envelope for her to see, and he watched as her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

  
“Ben, wh--what is that?” Rey asked, her voice low and quiet. 

“It was in the bag my mother gave me”, he replied shakily.

Rey stepped towards him, reaching and pulling a small folded piece of paper out of the envelope, that Ben hadn’t noticed. Sitting down next to him, Rey opened the paper, both of them looking curiously at it.

_ Ben, _

_ Not a day goes by when I don’t regret the choice of sending you to that school, and putting you in the clutches of such a dangerous man, especially knowing what I know now. Hopefully someday you can forgive me. I know this by no means makes up for the years that we lost, but I hope this money is useful for you, and helps you to start a new life with Rey. She’s a wonderful girl, and I couldn’t have dreamed of anyone better for my son. I am so proud of the man you’ve become, and though you’ve had struggles, seeing you work through them and watching you succeed has been incredibly rewarding. No matter what the past and the future hold, I will always love you, and I will always be here for you.  _

_ Mother _

  
  


\----

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Three years later**

“Ben, will you help me move this dresser over to the other side of the room? I want the house to look perfect when your mother arrives later”.

Ben looked over at his wife; though she was stressed over the fact that her mother in law was visiting, she was still as beautiful as the day they’d met. Her long, dark hair was piled on top of her head, and she wore a flowing light-blue dress with short sleeves. 

Their home was by no means lavish; they’d chosen to live a more simple, quiet life together, using the money Leia had given them to buy a small house in the country. They’d gotten married soon after they’d fled, but had decided to hold off on having children for a few years so they could spend time enjoying each other before they brought a new baby into their family. This was a decision that Ben was completely happy with; he loved spending entire weekends in bed with Rey, losing himself in her without having to worry about anything or anyone else. 

Rey wanted at least one of their children to be adopted; she wanted to provide a child with the love and support that she’d never had. 

They visited the city often; though Dreamland Park hadn’t been rebuilt, Rey’s friends all still lived in the area; they’d found other jobs in and around Coney Island. 

The pair had also kept in contact with Leia after the fire; they’d learned that thanks to her, Snoke had eventually been convicted of several crimes, including the Dreamland fire. His businesses, as well as the school had been shut down soon afterwards, and several of his employees faced charges as well. 

The relationship between Ben and his mother had dramatically improved, and though he knew she still felt a great deal of pain from missing out on so many important years of his life, that she looked forward to the future. 

Ben had been working as a high school teacher in the small town they lived in, a job that he very much enjoyed, though he was beginning to feel an increasing craving for something bigger, to achieve something greater with his life. He wanted to be his own man, to work for himself.

And though he knew Rey was happy for the time being, every so often he caught her staring off into the distance; he knew she missed her friends. That she yearned to get back to work, to care for others. Her desire for something more meaningful was beginning to creep up.

Ben watched as his wife stressed and fretted over the small details in the house.

“Rey, everything looks just fine. Sit down and just breathe”, Ben said soothingly, coming up behind her and placing a calming hand on her arm. 

“But, your mother’s house is just so—”

“Rey, she loves our house and she loves you. It looks great”.

Ben’s soothing touch travelled up her arm and across her shoulders, causing a grin to spread across her face. Ever so gently, he began kissing her neck. Though it was soft at first, he eventually began nipping and sucking at her skin, causing her to giggle with delight.

“Ben! You’re going to leave marks!”

“That’s the idea”, he growled mischievously. “We still have a few hours before she gets here; I say we make the most of that time”.

Rey turned to face him, a charmed smile on her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

  
  


——

  
  


“The house looks lovely”, Leia said, sitting comfortably on the sofa. “I do so love your style, Rey”. 

Ben saw his wife beam with pride; he knew she was still a bit intimidated by Leia, and that the complement meant more to her than his mother realized. 

“Thank you”, Rey replied demurely, sitting next to Ben opposite his mother.

“So Ben, Rey, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you”, Leia said. Ben and Rey exchanged glances; he wasn’t sure whether or not to feel nervous about his mother’s cryptic tone. 

“What is it?” Ben asked.

“I need your help”, Leia said, grabbing her handbag and dumping out its contents onto the perfectly arranged table in front of her. A stack of unruly papers flew all over the place, landing on both the table and the floor. Ben and Rey both lunged forward, trying to pick up and organize the mess. Ben looked over one of the papers in his hand, quickly scanning it for clues.

He realized that it was part of a purchase agreement, for a property in a part of Manhattan that he was familiar with. Upon closer inspection, he realized he recognized the exact address.

“I noticed that the building that housed Snoke’s school was up for sale. Now I know you two were eventually looking to move back to Manhattan, but I wanted to find out exactly when that might be”.

“I’m not sure what you mean, Mother”.

“I’ve just purchased the school”. Leia said nonchalantly. Dumbfounded, Ben took a closer look at the papers in his hand, tilting them so Rey could see as well. It was in fact the deed to Snoke’s school.

“I can think of no one better than you two to help me run it. The headmaster’s quarters are beautiful, and once you redecorate and brush away the cobwebs of the past, you could live there. I want it to eventually be a prestigious boarding school for orphaned and less fortunate children. As you two know, my foundation awards scholarships, and I want to incorporate this school in with that program. Rey, I know you’re so lovely with little ones; I was thinking you could care for our youngest students. And Ben, I’d like for you to help me run the operations, that is, until you’d be able to manage it yourself. We could make this school a haven for children in need. Offer them a better life than they would have otherwise had. And shape them into fine young men and ladies, but still give them the extra care and attention they would’ve been missing at home”. 

Ben glanced over at Rey; a look of shock had taken over her face.

“What do you two say?”

“I think I need to discuss this with my wife, first”, Ben said calmly.

“Of course”, Leia replied with a smile. Ben stood up, leading Rey into their bedroom and shutting the door behind them.

“So, what do you think?” Ben asked. 

He’d never seen Rey look so eager in his life.

“Ben, we could--” she started excitedly, and Ben knew exactly what she was going to say.

“I know! And we’d--”

“ _ I know! _ ” Rey replied, grabbing onto Ben’s arms. He realized that they were on the exact same page, that words didn’t even need to be exchanged. This opportunity felt right, and perfect. Ben wondered how he had ever become so lucky.

“So I’ll tell her yes?” Ben asked, smiling.

“You’d better!” Rey replied teasingly. 

Ben opened the door, taking Rey’s hand and walking back into the living room to where his mother sat.

“So, Mother, when can we start?”

  
  



End file.
